As the above quote, from SR5 pages 287-288, states that the penalty a spellcaster received for using some Health spells on a target is current Essence - maximum Essence. If it's a negative number, round up. But if my Math skills don't fail me, when rounding up with negative numbers, you are actually rounding closer to a positive number.

For example. Target has Essence 4.5. Using the above formula (current Essence - maximum Essence) would be 4.5 - 6 = -1.5. Rounding up turns it into a -1, not -2.

Is this the correct postulation for rounding up negative numbers in SR5?

I would round in the least favorable manner to the character, personally, so it would be a penalty of -2 for your example. So it is a -(absolute)... 1.5 rounds to 2, and then the negative is applied.

As written, the OP has the right interpretation of the rule. The intended meaning probably differs.

Yeah, I know...

It's a recurrent thing, I know. I think it's been 4-5 threads like this -_-

Sadly... I expected more.

Makes sense to me. Give a little benefit to whomever is playing an uncybered technomancer vs. a slightly cybered decker.

in that case it's definitely wrong. Technomancers get nothing. NOTHING!

Yeah, forgot about that. So shoot me for thinking we could take the baseball bat out of the technomancer's anus for a moment.

It's not your fault. Technomancers are a dead end trap option, it's their nature to deceive you into thinking they can be salvaged.

Well, there is another option still, and a friend posed this to me last week and I wholly plan on it happening.

Never play SR5 (this coming from someone who played only SR3 for the 10+ years SR4 was around).

On the flip side, there are numerous things that can be brought back to SR4, like the Essence limit on more Health spells than just Heal.

AND GIVE UP THE CHANCE TO BITCH AND MOAN?!? NEVER!!!