MOLTEN ARMOR: If Melter targets a character with the Armor, Robot, or Vehicle keyword, modify his attack and damage values by +1 and, if he hits, he can use Outwit until your next turn, but when he does, may only target the hit character.

Hammer Industries
Characters using this team ability can use Perplex, but only to target a character with the Armor, Hammer Industries, or Robot keyword. This use of Perplex may not modify damage values, and no character may be targeted by this ability more than twice per turn. This use is in addition to any other uses of Perplex.

PERPLEX Give this character a free action to modify by +1 or –1 any combat value of a target character until the beginning of your next turn. A character using this power must be within range (minimum range 6) and line of fire to the target. If a target character is damaged or healed, the effect of Perplex on that character ends immediately.

Quoted for posterity. His Molten Armor power states that when you target a character with Armor, Robot or Vehicle, blah blah blah. What if he uses the Hammer Industries ATA and Perplexes a friendly Armor keyworded character. It doesn't say target with an attack just target. It's implied but not stated. It seems like his Attack and Damage would be modified +1, but what from there? It says if he hits, and the language just isn't clear about the first part.

If that is the actual text on his card, then he will get the +1 to attack and damage when he uses perplex. I would assume these modifiers last until the end of the turn. You definitely can't get the outwit, since your perplex never hits.

Wow. That is horrible wording but yeah it looks like it works that way. :/
It doesn't even specify 'unless already modified by this effect' so you could Perplex up a friend, get the +1, then make an attack and get another +1, correct?

Since there is no other timing or timeframe specified for the modifiers I'd say that they only lasts for as long as the condition is true. So yes he gets +1 to attack and damage values when using perplex or outwit but he can't really do anything useful with it as it goes away when the action ends.

I vaguely remember seeing something that stated if there is no duration listed it defaults to until end of turn, or did I imagine that?

Bump, because the wording on his white power is still awful and needs some clarification.

Ok, the way I read this, there are a couple portions. The first portion in italics would say yes, when using perplex on a friendly character he gets the +1.

However, the second part, indicated by the bold and, specifies that he may only get the outwit if he hits the character he targeted.

In addition, it does seem as though it would stack. The wording doesn't say once per turn or place any limitations on the duration of the effect. It also says IF he targets not WHEN he targets a a character making it seem as if he could target a friendly character with the perplex and then target an enemy character who also met the requirements that he would recieve a +1 to AV and damage from each.

I think Melter's Molten Armor power was initially meant for when he targets an opposing character. However, the wording shows it could be any qualifying characters, both friendly or opposing, because there is no specification. Further, if he was using the ATA, this would include targeting himself with perplex because he is friendly to himself.

For example: He uses the ATA on his own attack, then his Molen Armor kicks in and he gets an additional +1 to both his attack and damage.

*Since he can be targeted by the ATA twice, a friendly character using the ATA can also perplex up Melter's attack, eventually modifying his attack +3 and damage +1.

The outwit seems to only apply if the original and/or targeted character was opposing.

This is my understanding.

AFAIK any modifier that has no specified duration will only last for as long as the activating condition remains true. In this case for as long as he is targeting a character with armor, robot or vehicle keyword.

I foresee a "with an attack" erratum in the future.