Effectiveness of the experimental armor prototype mechanic capstone ability "Defense Matrix"

[Lavabeing]

The level 20 capstone ability of an experimental armor prototype mechanic is an ability called Defense Matrix.

The ability is written as:

"You perfect your experimental armor prototype’s adaptable defenses, bolstering your armor against a greater number of enemies. You can use your calibrate defenses ability to gain a bonus to your AC against a number of targets equal to your Intelligence modifier, spending a move action for each calibration."

I'm confused as to how to interpret this ability in the context of the last phrase: "spending a move action for each calibration"

As written, does one move action only gain you your calibrate defenses bonus against the standard one target? I'm not sure on the reason for the inclusion of the phrase if that were not the case and the bonus can be gained against multiple targets with a single move action.

Furthermore, does this ability not provide any greater bonus to mechanics with more than 14 intelligence because it is limited to two uses (a move action and a standard action) on your turn?

Let know if I'm completely missing something or if this is a valid question to have given the wording.

[Darg727]

It is a totally valid question. It's either reaffirming the move action per use or it's imposing a move action per target. It's a capstone ability that is maxed out at +3 AC per target for a single attack. Power wise, the first option seems more sensible. The second makes the cool int modifier worthless.

Personally, I would rule 1 move action to target int mod targets.

[Dracomicron]

Either it needs to affect all the targets with one "calibration" (thanks Garrus), or the effects need to persist over several turns so you can keep adding calibrations over time.

Since the ability explicitly lasts only one turn, I'm going to say that it affects all targets with one move action.

The whole calibrate defense aspect of armor mechanics is its worst feature. It should have been like Combat Tracking, one move action to provide a bonus against one foe until you change targets. As it stands, this class feature could be replaced (and perhaps improved upon) by... a shield.

[Lavabeing]

Dracomicron wrote:

The whole calibrate defense aspect of armor mechanics is its worst feature.

My concern was not that the ability was simply underwhelming (it is unless it receives major errata), but that the capstone was only partially functional.

Hopefully we can receive clarification as to whether the number of enemies one "calibration" provides bonuses against increases -or- if this simply prevents the loss of the initial bonus when using the ability a second time in one turn.

[Nimor Starseeker]

I read it as when you use the capstone ability, defense matrix: you spend a move action and gain a +3 shield bonus against all attacks from X enemies until the end of your next turn. X is equal to you intelligence modifier.
When you calibrate you are calibrating for multiple enemies in one move action.

I found the text a little confusing, but this works - me thinks.