My party has been having disagreements over the preceding question. It's important because I'm a cleric who relies on combat buffs to keep me in the fight and when I throw a lot of spells on me, its because I'm expecting multiple successive fights in a row.
Generally speaking I'm talking about spells lasting several minutes, but not a minute or less.
My take is that for a combat encounter, it should take as much time to search a room as the combat took, maybe twice as long (assuming it isn't against a solo monster or end of campaign treasure hoard to sort through). So essentially, anywhere between half a minute to a minute depending on the number of enemies.
Some people in my party seem to think searching a room takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes! I feel that's ridiculous, since it's only a standard action to retrieve any one item, a few standard actions and you've picked up everything you can find with 1 perception check (which is not a take 20 situation).
It's a move action to use Perception to intentionally search for stimulus. So it takes approximately 3 seconds.
Well, there's rules and then there's common understanding. Five to ten minutes to thoroughly search a room is probably even fast by a realistic standard. And that's probably the criteria they're basing their estimate on.
Three seconds to search a room - that's barely a scan by a realistic understanding. But by the rules, that gets you a single perception check (don't forget to apply the -1/10ft of distance). So it's cursory and subject to a lot of luck with the die.
Taking 20 multiplies that by 20 so you get TriOmegaZero's 10 rounds (or 1 minute). Of course that also is subject to the -1/10ft distance and, I'd say, potential condition modifiers, some of which are described in the Perception modifiers table. Taking 20 in various places about the room has the potential to be a better search, at 1 minute per attempt.
This area of PF is one that really lost a lot in the translation from 3.5. Combining Search into Perception, I think, was fine. But most of the separate text for search was cut, including the full round action to search a 5x5 area - an action term that was, I think, a much better match to the reality of the task than a move action.
The ultimate authority on how much time the group needs to search an area will depend on the GM. Ask them. And if their answer isn't to your liking, you may have to live with either re-buffing and taking more resources or keeping up your fighting tempo and coming back to complete your searching later.
keeping up your fighting tempo and coming back to complete your searching later.
This is another area I'm having trouble with the group on. Whenever we are in a place that is obviously multi roomed (so several back to back but not continuous encounters are expected) they keep insisting on searching every single room 1 by 1 and I keep getting flack for searching for more encounters.
Bear in mind that moving on, then going back to search rooms once your buffs have worn off, is allowed.
A cupboard takes a lot less time to search then a cathedral.
Most cathedrals are pretty uncluttered.
A single cupboard stuffed with boxes of junk could take 20 minutes to go through.| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Everyone is making this way to hard. Use a Move Action to intentionally search for stimulus, take 10, use standard actions to take what's there and move on. That simple.
Also, don't forget OP, that you can just keep moving and come back once everything is dead. A combination of both these tactics facilitates SWAT style play which is highly beneficial when your group has access to numerous buffs.
keeping up your fighting tempo and coming back to complete your searching later.This is another area I'm having trouble with the group on. Whenever we are in a place that is obviously multi roomed (so several back to back but not continuous encounters are expected) they keep insisting on searching every single room 1 by 1 and I keep getting flack for searching for more encounters.
If you can't convince the rest of your adventuring companions, that makes you the odd man out. I'd consider re-thinking your strategy to mesh better with theirs.
I would never tie it to the number of creatures in the room. It would not take 12 rounds to search an empty room after killing a dozen orcs in that empty room. It would not take just one round to search a laboratory full of stuff after killing a single orc in the room. And it would not take zero rounds to search a cluttered room that had no monsters. So, clearly, the number of creatures in the room is not a factor in the time it takes to search the room.
What you really should tie it to is the number of things that have to be searched.
Searching creatures is a single move action to "scan" what they're carrying in plain sight. Searching backpacks, pouches, etc., can each require additional actions (see below).
One Perception check can see everything visible in the room. That's a move action when they say "I search".
Each additional thing they do takes an action: Opening a desk drawer, looking under the bed, opening a cabinet, rummaging in a pile of rags, looking in the fireplace ashes, peering up the chimney, looking behind the painting, opening a backpack or pouch or sack, etc. Each of those is usually a move action but might be longer as needed (maybe that's a big pile of rags so it's a full round).
This includes searching for traps and searching for secret doors. Pathfinder lists no specific time for this, but it's reasonable to assume that each active search (move action) can cover a 10x10 area of floor or wall as a move action (this rule comes from previous versions of this game, not Pathfinder). Also it's reasonable to assume that a search (move action) can look for traps on a single item such as a trapped chest, trapped drawer, etc. (even if they don't have traps). So fully searching a room for secret doors takes one move action per 10' of wall and per 10x10 area of floor. I combine secret doors and traps so one search roll will find whatever (trap or secret door) is in that area, or both if there is a trapped secret door).
Some of those things need an extra action for the Perception, such as opening the cabinet as a move action then using Perception as a move action to see what's in it (it's a passive non-action to glimpse the contents, but it's a move action to "search" for interesting things).
A lot of this is GM fiat. For example, if that cabinet is completely empty except for a ruby lying in plain sight (once the cabinet is opened) then "spotting" the ruby is a passive perception check (with a DC 4: DC 0 + Size Mod). But if that cabinet is full of junk, piled with worthless junk, then finding that ruby might take a full round of rummaging in the junk (DC 19: DC 15 Concealed + Size Mod). If the cabinet has just some small amount of junk, then maybe it's only a move action with DC 4 again. All of that is GM call at the moment.
Long story short: One move action to scan the room for obvious stuff in plain sight. One move action to scan a dead body. One action (GM decides which) for each extra search that isn't just a "plain-sight" observation. One move action per item they want to pick up from plain sight. Searching for secret doors and traps is extra time.
Edited because I mistakenly typed "standard action" in a few places where I meant "move action".
I would never tie it to the number of creatures in the room. It would not take 12 rounds to search an empty room after killing a dozen orcs in that empty room. It would not take just one round to search a laboratory full of stuff after killing a single orc in the room. And it would not take zero rounds to search a cluttered room that had no monsters. So, clearly, the number of creatures in the room is not a factor in the time it takes to search the room.
What you really should tie it to is the number of things that have to be searched.
Searching creatures is a single standard action to "scan" what they're carrying in plain sight. Searching backpacks, pouches, etc., can each require additional actions (see below).
One Perception check can see everything visible in the room. That's a standard action when they say "I search".
Each additional thing they do takes an action: Opening a desk drawer, looking under the bed, opening a cabinet, rummaging in a pile of rags, looking in the fireplace ashes, peering up the chimney, looking behind the painting, opening a backpack or pouch or sack, etc. Each of those is usually a move action but might be longer as needed (maybe that's a big pile of rags so it's a full round).
This includes searching for traps and searching for secret doors. Each search can cover a 10x10 area of floor or wall as a standard action, or can look for traps on a single item such as a trapped chest, trapped drawer, etc. (even if they don't have traps). So fully searching a room for secret doors takes one standard action per 10' of wall and per 10x10 area of floor. I combine secret doors and traps so one search roll will find whatever (trap or secret door) is in that area, or both if there is a trapped secret door).
Some of those things need an extra action for the Perception, such as opening the cabinet as a move action then using Perception as a standard action to see what's in it (it's a passive non-action to glimpse the contents, but it's a standard action to "search" for...
Plain sight stuff is a reactive roll which takes no time at all. Actively searching is also only a move action not a standard action. Though I agree opening a desk drawer or searching a backpack is it's own separate action (though it is again only a move action).
@CommandoDude:
Go into your bedroom. Start a stopwatch. Then, open every drawer, making sure to riffle through the contents; check any closets including stuff hanging on the racks or in shelves; check under your bed and between the mattress/boxspring; go through the bookshelves; look through any other container that you have. Lastly, stop the watch.
There's your answer. Adjust upward or downward depending on how big/small and furnished/unfurnished the in-game room happens to be.
Go grab a stick. Start a timer to count down from 6 seconds. Swing the stick as many times as you can before the countdown stops.
See where I'm going with this?
Plain sight stuff is a reactive roll which takes no time at all. Actively searching is also only a move action not a standard action.
Thanks. I mixed up action types a couple times, already fixed.
As for scanning the room, it's a reactive roll to see something you need to react to. It's a move action to actively look around to "search" an area.
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@CommandoDude:
Go into your bedroom. Start a stopwatch. Then, open every drawer, making sure to riffle through the contents; check any closets including stuff hanging on the racks or in shelves; check under your bed and between the mattress/boxspring; go through the bookshelves; look through any other container that you have. Lastly, stop the watch.
There's your answer. Adjust upward or downward depending on how big/small and furnished/unfurnished the in-game room happens to be.
Go grab a stick. Start a timer to count down from 6 seconds. Swing the stick as many times as you can before the countdown stops.
See where I'm going with this?
It's almost like the game rules simplify reality for a number of reasons like ease of use and internal balance and trying to compare real life to a set of rules meant to evoke verisimilitude is meaningless!
This includes searching for traps and searching for secret doors. Each search can cover a 10x10 area of floor or wall as a standard action, or can look for traps on a single item such as a trapped chest, trapped drawer, etc. (even if they don't have traps). So fully searching a room for secret doors takes one standard action per 10' of wall and per 10x10 area of floor. I combine secret doors and traps so one search roll will find whatever (trap or secret door) is in that area, or both if there is a trapped secret door).There is also no rule stating this. It's a carry-over from 3.5 Search, that changed in PF.
It's a fine house rule, if that's what you want, but it's not RAW.
Agreed. Pathfinder has no rule for this, so it's not Pathfinder RAW. But it's clearly unrealistic to apply no time factor to searching for traps or secret doors. Without a time factor, a PC could conceivably search an NFL football stadium for a trap with just a single move action.
Pathfinder evolved from that older game so it's sensible to use those older rules (RAW) where Pathfinder has no RAW. Especially since this thread is in the "Advice" forum, not the "Rules Questions" forum.
If they can be seen merely by entering the room, reactive. If you would not be able to see the goblet under the table (depends on the type of table I guess) it would be covered in a move action search of the area.
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It's almost like the game rules simplify reality for a number of reasons like ease of use and internal balance and trying to compare real life to a set of rules meant to evoke verisimilitude is meaningless!@CommandoDude:
Go into your bedroom. Start a stopwatch. Then, open every drawer, making sure to riffle through the contents; check any closets including stuff hanging on the racks or in shelves; check under your bed and between the mattress/boxspring; go through the bookshelves; look through any other container that you have. Lastly, stop the watch.
There's your answer. Adjust upward or downward depending on how big/small and furnished/unfurnished the in-game room happens to be.
Go grab a stick. Start a timer to count down from 6 seconds. Swing the stick as many times as you can before the countdown stops.
See where I'm going with this?
What? Perish the thought!
It's time honored game design method!
It's certainly not silly at all.
This includes searching for traps and searching for secret doors. Each search can cover a 10x10 area of floor or wall as a standard action, or can look for traps on a single item such as a trapped chest, trapped drawer, etc. (even if they don't have traps). So fully searching a room for secret doors takes one standard action per 10' of wall and per 10x10 area of floor. I combine secret doors and traps so one search roll will find whatever (trap or secret door) is in that area, or both if there is a trapped secret door).There is also no rule stating this. It's a carry-over from 3.5 Search, that changed in PF.
It's a fine house rule, if that's what you want, but it's not RAW.
Agreed. Pathfinder has no rule for this, so it's not Pathfinder RAW. But it's clearly unrealistic to apply no time factor to searching for traps or secret doors. Without a time factor, a PC could conceivably search an NFL football stadium for a trap with just a single move action.
Pathfinder evolved from that older game so it's sensible to use those older rules (RAW) where Pathfinder has no RAW.
Well there are penalties for distance remember and those will add up quickly. When we play we tend to have our highest perception person move 30ft. + Search so the penalties are never particularly high. Plus, the rest of the group can use their spare standard to recover with Wands of CLW while moving.
The game runs so much smoother if you just go with what the rules say and assume every adventurer can do the Sherlock Scan combined with Hyper Awareness.
Only higher level characters will have the requisite skill bonuses necessary to do it in any significant space (for reference, your average peasant with a rank in Perception only has a 50/50 shot of finding his keys even 10 feet away from him), so it's not really an issue except with those who specialize in Perception or are superhuman by levels alone.
Rynjin, nice avatar!
I always interpreted the rule was that it takes a single move action to actively find anything within immediate area, your 5x5 square. But, then if there's anything to find outside that area, then the penalties for range and barriers come into play.
Personally, I find that ridiculous. Time is a resource during the game, and it should cost more than a single move action to search for traps, hidden doors, treasure, etc.
(for reference, your average peasant with a rank in Perception only has a 50/50 shot of finding his keys even 10 feet away from him)
Just curious, what DCs are you using for this?
I would use the Perception chart and look up "Notice a visible creature" (DC 0) and then apply size modifier (+4) and distance (+1) to get a DC of 5. That commoner has a Perception score of 4 (1 rank + class skill) so he makes this check on a 1. Even with no ranks he makes it on a 5 (80%) chance and likely would Take-10 for auto-success.
Now, if those keys are hidden, such as under a shirt that was accidentally thrown over them, then he has zero chance of finding those keys (no line of sight, the keys have total concealment) with a perception check (unless they are making a noise or have an unusual odor, etc., which I'm assuming they don't). He would have to actively search, moving that shirt which brings us back to DC 4 unless he moved the shirt with a reach weapon.
Alternatively (though I wouldn't call it this way), we might say that the keys under the shirt get the benefit of invisibility putting the DC at 25 (DC 20, +4 size, +1 distance) and the commoner cannot find them at all with his bonus only at +4. If he moves closer, the DC drops to 24 so he might get it on a roll of 20 (maybe he notices the key-shaped lump under the shirt).
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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To determine how long it takes to search a room, tally the following:
• One move action per Perception check
• One move action each time you walk up to your speed
• One move action each time you open/close/move something
Remember two important things:
1) There is no range limit on Perception (but there are range modifiers)
2) Visual stimuli require line of sight
This is the method set up by the rules, and runs pretty smoothly. If you or your group are skeptical, try it out for a few sessions, making sure to clearly declare each and every action spent and always including the phrase "from here" when asking what you see. I think most people who do it this way (and don't botch it) will end up happy with the results.
If they can be seen merely by entering the room, reactive. If you would not be able to see the goblet under the table (depends on the type of table I guess) it would be covered in a move action search of the area.I was asking DM Blake, since he was making a "something you need to react to" distinction that you weren't.
If you walk into my bedroom right now and I immediately cover your eyes (giving you zero seconds, not 6 seconds, to look around) and then ask you:
"Where is my Rotweiler?" you almost certainly could answer that - your reactive perception check was already rolled when you entered and his Stealth skill is zero (actually probably less; he's not sneaky at all).
"Where are my cufflinks?" you almost certainly did not notice them in the brief instant you saw my room - your reactive perception check didn't react to cufflinks at all.
If you want to know where the cufflinks are, you would first visually scan the room - a move action perception check. If you don't see them, then you might try searching: walking around the room, looking in drawers and other containers, and ultimately might find them in the little dish I keep on the night table on top of my dresser - after making several move action to move and open things and other move actions to scan the contents of the containers you open.
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To determine how long it takes to search a room, tally the following:• One move action per Perception check
• One move action each time you walk up to your speed
• One move action each time you open/close/move somethingRemember two important things:
1) There is no range limit on Perception (but there are range modifiers)
2) Visual stimuli require line of sightThis is the method set up by the rules, and runs pretty smoothly. If you or your group are skeptical, try it out for a few sessions, making sure to clearly declare each and every action spent and always including the phrase "from here" when asking what you see. I think most people who do it this way (and don't botch it) will end up happy with the results.
Admittedly this, and the answer I gave above, would be tedious. Who wants to track that many actions over and over and over?
A simpler solution might be for the GM just to assign a number of minutes: 0 minutes (one move action) to search a completely empty small room, 1 minute to search a small room with a small amount of clutter or a large empty room, 2 minutes to search a small room filled with clutter or large normally-cluttered room, 3 minutes to search a large room with ridiculous clutter. Add a minute for searching bodies and/or if the room has extra complexity.
Or something simple and basic like that - each GM can decide how simple or complex his time scheme should be, but it should be something he can instantly apply to any room.
This way the GM can make a single search roll for each searcher and/or for each hidden thing and announce what you find and instantly announce how much time it took. No bookkeeping necessary.
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It takes 1 round to make a basic search of a 5'x5' area (aka per square). If you take 20, thats 20 rounds (or 2 minutes) *PER SQUARE*. Searching a 10'x10' room is four separate squares, or 8 minutes for a single character to do a thorough search of a small room.
A 15'x20' room is 12 squares, and it would take 24 minutes for a single person to thoroughly search a room basically the size of your living room. If you had a party of 4 searching that room, thats still 3 squares each for them to search, which is 6 minutes.
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To determine how long it takes to search a room, tally the following:• One move action per Perception check
• One move action each time you walk up to your speed
• One move action each time you open/close/move somethingRemember two important things:
1) There is no range limit on Perception (but there are range modifiers)
2) Visual stimuli require line of sightThis is the method set up by the rules, and runs pretty smoothly. If you or your group are skeptical, try it out for a few sessions, making sure to clearly declare each and every action spent and always including the phrase "from here" when asking what you see. I think most people who do it this way (and don't botch it) will end up happy with the results.
I already suggested something similar to this, but essentially I got "You can't break down a search into actions like this" like searching a room HAS to take X minutes or something. Or howabout if you see a book and leaf through it, how long does that take? I will try showing this post to my group though.
Another thing, is that I'm basing what I think it takes to search a room is how long it takes to search a room in Baldur's Gate (DnD video game).
It takes 1 round to make a basic search of a 5'x5' area (aka per square). If you take 20, thats 20 rounds (or 2 minutes) *PER SQUARE*. Searching a 10'x10' room is four separate squares, or 8 minutes for a single character to do a thorough search of a small room.
A 15'x20' room is 12 squares, and it would take 24 minutes for a single person to thoroughly search a room basically the size of your living room. If you had a party of 4 searching that room, thats still 3 squares each for them to search, which is 6 minutes.
It does not take 1 round to search. Where do people get this idea? It's not anywhere in the Perception skill that's for sure. Searching 4 squares takes 1 move action from any square, with a +0 penalty on the other squares.
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To determine how long it takes to search a room, tally the following:• One move action per Perception check
• One move action each time you walk up to your speed
• One move action each time you open/close/move somethingRemember two important things:
1) There is no range limit on Perception (but there are range modifiers)
2) Visual stimuli require line of sightThis is the method set up by the rules, and runs pretty smoothly. If you or your group are skeptical, try it out for a few sessions, making sure to clearly declare each and every action spent and always including the phrase "from here" when asking what you see. I think most people who do it this way (and don't botch it) will end up happy with the results.
This is how the rules work and how I play as well. It is very smooth and much better then any other alternative I've seen.
It does not take 1 round to search. Where do people get this idea?
Its how it was in 3e, which Pathfinder is based off of.
As far as I can tell, Pathfinder does not have RAW for searching, so I for one fall back to the rules that Pathfinder is based off of.
It does not take 1 round to search. Where do people get this idea?Its how it was in 3e, which Pathfinder is based off of.
As far as I can tell, Pathfinder does not have RAW for searching, so I for one fall back to the rules that Pathfinder is based off of.
Most Perception checks are reactive, made in response to observable stimulus. Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action.Retry? Yes. You can try to sense something you missed the first time, so long as the stimulus is still present.
Under that approach, what can you find without "searching"?It does not take 1 round to search. Where do people get this idea?Its how it was in 3e, which Pathfinder is based off of.
As far as I can tell, Pathfinder does not have RAW for searching, so I for one fall back to the rules that Pathfinder is based off of.
Anything you could see without interacting with the environment.
You glance into a room, you can see things like a desk, or that there's a book on the desk. A perception check would let you read whats on the book's cover from across the room. But you can't just look at a room and see that a closed drawer has a false bottom. Want to find a secret door hidden under the carpet? You're going to have to pull the carpet up.
Basically, you can roll to check one thing, and hope you get lucky. You can Take 10 to give your spot a fair going over. Or you can Take 20 to pry into every last nook and cranny.
My guideline: (Search Area + Notable Containers) / Players Searching = number of rounds required to search a room.
Thus, a 3x4 room with a desk and cabinet being searched by 4 players is ~4 rounds (I round up). Players may opt to take 10 for expediency's sake on the actual rolls. If players are opting to be methodical and using Take 20, that same room would be 80 rounds, or 8 minutes.
It does not take 1 round to search. Where do people get this idea?Its how it was in 3e, which Pathfinder is based off of.
As far as I can tell, Pathfinder does not have RAW for searching, so I for one fall back to the rules that Pathfinder is based off of.
Most Perception checks are reactive, made in response to observable stimulus. Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action.Retry? Yes. You can try to sense something you missed the first time, so long as the stimulus is still present.
Yeah, except that that applies just as much to standing in the woods and intentionally taking a look around to see if you can spot a bear.
I think we can both agree that stopping to glance around that nothing is sneaking up on you, and rifling through a desk are not going to take the same amount of time.
So again, from where I stand, Pathfinder does not have rules specifically for searching a room, least not that I've been able to find. So I go back to 3e where Search and Spot were two different skills, and use the rules for Search there with the Perception skill here.
Rifling through a desk is a move action. As per Perception.
But taking 20 by looking into a room still doesn't find all that.
You'd have to go 5' square by 5' square to do so, under your interpretation. Which I'm going to hope includes moving and opening things as appropriate.
Exactly.
A move action Perception check is just going to show you what is in the room. If you want to move around, open things, pull things out and look behind/under them, thats where we have no RAW that I've found in Pathfinder.
D&D 3e had the Search skill for that, and it said that making a check for one square was a standard action. So you could move into a square, stop and do a quick search, and then next round could repeat. Take 10 and Take 20 rules then built off of that.
Rifling through a desk is a move action. As per Perception.
Sure, its a move action to get to the desk, and its a move action to search it. Thats 1 round.
Now either we say thats good enough for a single square, or we have to start specifying "Is that a move action for the desk? Is it another move action to search the floor under the desk? Is it a third move action to inspect an individual drawer?"
Lot easier to stick with it being the 5'x5' area it was in 3e, and it taking one round to search it. You can make your one roll, pray you don't get a 1, then move to the next square and search it in another round.
Or you can Take 10, and spend 10 rounds searching it as per standard Take 10 rules. Or you can be extremely thorough and Take 20, which takes 20 rounds as per normal rules.
(for reference, your average peasant with a rank in Perception only has a 50/50 shot of finding his keys even 10 feet away from him)Just curious, what DCs are you using for this?
I would use the Perception chart and look up "Notice a visible creature" (DC 0) and then apply size modifier (+4) and distance (+1) to get a DC of 5. That commoner has a Perception score of 4 (1 rank + class skill) so he makes this check on a 1. Even with no ranks he makes it on a 5 (80%) chance and likely would Take-10 for auto-success.
Now, if those keys are hidden, such as under a shirt that was accidentally thrown over them, then he has zero chance of finding those keys (no line of sight, the keys have total concealment) with a perception check (unless they are making a noise or have an unusual odor, etc., which I'm assuming they don't). He would have to actively search, moving that shirt which brings us back to DC 4 unless he moved the shirt with a reach weapon.
Alternatively (though I wouldn't call it this way), we might say that the keys under the shirt get the benefit of invisibility putting the DC at 25 (DC 20, +4 size, +1 distance) and the commoner cannot find them at all with his bonus only at +4. If he moves closer, the DC drops to 24 so he might get it on a roll of 20 (maybe he notices the key-shaped lump under the shirt).
Keys would be something Fine (Tiny is the size of your head), so +8 to the DC, and I'd say the DC is higher than 0...creatures are just more noticeable than objects, since even when motionless they still MOVE.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Admittedly this, and the answer I gave above, would be tedious. Who wants to track that many actions over and over and over?To determine how long it takes to search a room, tally the following:
• One move action per Perception check
• One move action each time you walk up to your speed
• One move action each time you open/close/move somethingRemember two important things:
1) There is no range limit on Perception (but there are range modifiers)
2) Visual stimuli require line of sightThis is the method set up by the rules, and runs pretty smoothly. If you or your group are skeptical, try it out for a few sessions, making sure to clearly declare each and every action spent and always including the phrase "from here" when asking what you see. I think most people who do it this way (and don't botch it) will end up happy with the results.
The thing is, you really only have to do this a few times before the holdouts realize how astronomically wrong their time estimates were, and you go right back to convenient (but now appropriately-timed) abstractions.
Seriously, you go through one bedroom declaring all your actions, and you finish in something like 1 minute plus 1 more minute per T20, probably landing under 10 total. Most people who get this wrong are imagining 30 minutes, or even an hour or more.
You don't usually need down-to-the-action processes, but using them a couple of times helps to properly calibrate the abstractions.
Rifling through a desk is a move action. As per Perception.Sure, its a move action to get to the desk, and its a move action to search it. Thats 1 round.
Now either we say thats good enough for a single square, or we have to start specifying "Is that a move action for the desk? Is it another move action to search the floor under the desk? Is it a third move action to inspect an individual drawer?"
Lot easier to stick with it being the 5'x5' area it was in 3e, and it taking one round to search it. You can make your one roll, pray you don't get a 1, then move to the next square and search it in another round.
Or you can Take 10, and spend 10 rounds searching it as per standard Take 10 rules. Or you can be extremely thorough and Take 20, which takes 20 rounds as per normal rules.
The only reason you need a move action to search the desk at all is because you don't otherwise have line of sight to it. Everything you have line of sight to is covered by non-action reactive Perception checks. You can cover most of the room (that is within line of sight) without needing an action at all. So there is no need to to go square by square.