Theorycrafting: How To Make A Cybermage Options

[Umidori]

Emphasis mine...

Characters with Magic or Resonance attributes are subject to penalties if they have an Essence lower than 6. For each point or partial point of Essence below 6, the character loses 1 full point from her Magic or Resonance and the maximum for that attribute is reduced by 1.

So how do you get your Essence higher than 6? Well, normally you can't. The only way is to use the Essence Drain power and it's typical partner Essence Loss, both seen only in Infected and various Critters, making 'ware hard to get (you need Delta grade) and even harder to keep (you need to constantly refill your Essence so you never dip below 6). But there is another way.

Street Magic details the creation of Magical Compounds (p. 88). These are Unique Enchantments which operate like drugs that grant Critter Powers. Digital Grimoire details how to create your own formulae for them (p. 9). If you have the skill and the time, there is nothing stopping you from taking a few months to research a formula for a Magical Compound that grants the Essence Drain power.

After acquiring the appropriate exotic reagents (perhaps a few units of a natural animal radical taken from the various HMHVV I Infected) and successfully completing an alchemical circulation, you receive a single dose of the Compound, which when you ingest will temporarily grant you the Essence Drain power. While under the effects of the Compound, you can drain 6 points of essence from others, capping out at twice your natural maximum per the power's ruling. Once the Compound's effect ends, you lose the power, suffer "crash" effects for an equal duration, and at that point have 12 points of Essence, 6 of which you can freely sacrifice in exchange for cyber or bioware.

Discuss.

~Umi