Matrices and Pacts

Matrixes physically change a bot and imbue knowledge. Pacts give special abilities or instances. Matrixes are considered more powerful than a Pact, due to the limited abilities a pact bestows. Pacts have a much wider range of candidates than Matrixes. Pacts look different from matrixes, and are not a physical thing that can be lost. They are absorbed into a sparks being until the bot offlines. A matrix can be removed and changed hands, however.
When the bot holding a pact offlines, the energy from the pact will recycle itself into the well and latch onto another potential candidate. Pacts can be present from activation, as when they cycle themselves into the well they can latch onto a potential newspark. Pact abilities are often mistaken as outlier abilities, and thus left undiscovered.
Primes who gained the Matrix of leadership are considered a vessel for the thirteen primes, and in some circles a replacement or a vessel for thirteen themselves. A good portion of those Primes could never actually wield the Matrix, let alone to its full potential. Sentinel, Zeta, Nova, for example.
The matrix of war belonged to a senate member, who perished at the hands of Megatron himself. It was unknown that the bot carried the matrix of war, which was scavenged from the corpse, and currently resides with Swindle. He doesn’t know what it is, only that it’s most likely precious and someone will pay good money for it.