This article is work in progress for an attempt to replace the depth-first mechanical choice in the core Matrix Search in Shadowrun Fifth Edition Core Rulebook (p. 241).
It was last edited Tuesday, July 16, 2024 by Arcology Expert Program.
The matrix is filled with thousands upon thousands of information sources covering a vast range of topics over many different levels of access ranging from broadcast media, to social media, to public information sites, to deep, dark hosts. All of it is available to a dedicated matrix specialist, or at least pointers towards the good stuff.
| Information is... | Threshold |
|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 6 |
| Limited Interest | 12 |
| Specialized or Obscure | 18 |
| Actively Hidden | +3 |
Sorting through all the cruft to find the useful data requires an Extended Matrix + Intuition [Data Processing] Test. The Threshold is determined by how obscure or well protected the data is, while the interval operates on a sliding scale.
| Task | Time Interval |
|---|---|
| Fast | 1 Combat Turn |
| Quick | 1 minute |
| Short | 10 minutes |
| Average | 30 minutes |
| Long | 1 hour |
| Consuming | 1 day |
| Exhaustive | 1 week |
| Mammoth | 1 month |
Instead of a consistent interval, it starts at 1 minute and advances one step on the Extended Test Intervals Table for each roll.
If the information is only available on a private matrix host, rather than providing the exact information, a successful Matrix Search provides the host where the information can be found.