Essense Loss and Magic Increase, Where has the magic gone? Options

[Nightwalker450]

Ok last session my group had an in character discussion, that then had to go out of character to speak mechanics.

The in character discussion, our cyber face trying to explain to a (technologically inept) adept that he could increase his peformance by adding cyberware, if he went sparingly and selective the boosts out of the cyberware could offset his loss of magic prowess.

The mechanics, when do you increase your magic? Before implant, after the implant, or it doesn't matter. The player that is the face is of the opinion that since your magic drops, from 5 to 4, the cost to raise your attribute is 15 Karma (New attribute value x 3). This is the base reading from the book. But I feel that since cyberware inhibits your magic you would still have to pay for it compensating for the essense loss. Since in creation this must be done, it only makes sense for it to be done during play as well. Unfortunately there is no place in the book that goes into this.

Here's where I see the problem with just allowing the attribute x 3. Here are 3 characters that are exactly alike, only difference is their timelines. The cyber spirit slayer, has 1 adept power of astral sight, 5 essense worth of cyberware installed, and carries a weapon foci.. All of these end with Magic of 1, and Essense of 1

1-Ready at creation (65 BP)
2-Basic Adept (Mag 1, 0 BP), who increased his Magic over time to 6 (60 Karma), then decided to go chrome and replace everything with cyber except for the 1 point. (0 BP, 60 Karma)
3-The Muchkin... Basic Adept (Mag 1, 0 BP) In Game Increases his magic by 1 (6 Karma), then installs another Essense of Cyber (Magic +1, Essense -1) Rinse and Repeat this until he is the same as the others
(0 BP, 30 Karma)

So there's the breakdown should the Muchkin be able to do this using half the karma as the other person. Creation doesn't differentiate from when you got the gear so why should in game?