The big event for set 7 is done so I'm free to share all of my experiences and thoughts on the set. What better way to start it off than talking about the problem child of the set? Let's dive in.
For better or worse, this game wants strong characters in universe to also be strong in-game. Normally, they like to keep the lock and key separate with contenders. Torque needs to have another card effect ping him for damage to trigger his draw effect. War, Legion Commander needs you to attack twice with Clash Cards to get his draw. My point being is that contenders need you to commit some resource to trigger their card draw to help you sustain your hand size. Even Warcry who can trigger his draw effect on his own can only do it every other turn. With Absence that is not a problem. Flip the portal open and you have a free card draw every turn albeit you do banish the top card of your deck first. Your opponent can't even deny you of the draw because you can just open the portal as your last action of your turn. The Trigger-Portal is also noteworthy because it can choose to target your contender. This increases the chance for Absence to trade with attacking Clash cards.
Breach the Void is Absence's Clash Buff. Absence easily fulfils the condition to fully unlock all of Breach of the Void's benefits - card draw, Undisputed, and +2/+2 buff to any card. It's on par with the banned 0 cost Clash Buffs that the set 1 contenders use to enjoyed.
On top of all of this, Absence awakens at 20 health just 5 health below its full health. This is easily accomplished against 1/0 contenders just by attacking them. In exchange for health, it can play any card with Void from banishment. This gives Absence more options without losing any hand cards.
Having both consistent card draw and a very strong clash buff is already enough to put any contender among the top. What pushed Absence to stand on top of everything else was Cataclysmic Surge.
This one-off card when played on curve can start ripping both player's hand as early as turn 2. Absence is less impacted by the mandatory hand rip thanks to its draw power but for other contenders it's pretty devastating.
Let's put this in the perspective of a deck without card draw. You start with eight cards and you draw a card every turn (except when you're going first). You put one card as resource every turn and you play one card. If you play like this without card draw you start top decking by turn 9. With the hand rip from Cataclysmic, you run out of hand cards as early as turn 5. That's playing conservatively and not accounting having to commit more cards to answer your opponent's board against an opponent that does not run out of hand cards. Once a player loses all of their hand cards, this clashground starts ripping their health.
Cataclysmic Surge also banishes any permanents leaving play effectively delaying or shutting down graveyard decks from reaching their wincon.
As a clashground it's easily replaced by playing a new clashground but replacing it on your turn saves the Absence player from the hand rip. When another card or Cataclysmic Surge leaves play, it gets banished and because this card has Void, Absence can play it again from banishment using its awakened card effect. No loss of hand cards just 2 health.
Playing Cataclysmic Surge on curve isn't even inconsistent because you can tutor it with Hidden Pathway. Opening the portal isn't even a problem with Absence and Rizlac.
The Absence, Shadow Incarnate is an epic I completely overlooked. I mean it's a 1/2 that must attack each turn when able and can only banish clash cards with less attack that it. Its Trigger-Enter makes you lose one health and is restricted to only Absence so you can't run it other contenders. The health loss might look like a downside, but not when you're trying to get to 20 health as soon as possible to awaken. The card is a good removal option since you can pump its attack with the contender's Trigger-Portal, or Avenging Guy, Taking Aim. The other way works too. You can reduce the stats of clash cards with some Pestilence cards like Pestilence, the Infectious. Lastly, it has Void so you can play it from banishment in exchange for health but at least you get to keep your hand cards.
Does Absence need Cataclysmic Surge to be playable? Definitely not. The contender is plenty strong on its own. The consistent draw, and portal control gives you a lot of options with the current card pool.
Does the contender need to get hit? Probably. The contender already does a lot, and Cataclysmic Surge is just oppressive with its mandatory hand rip. It depends if this is the new height for the meta.