You really provide real good ideas to the table. Combo can be nice, but might be too busted with some combo setups. Burst/level drain on opponent could also really work. Removing agressor's resources and forcing them to play on hard defence could bring an interesting punishment and strategy to when to burst to steal the levels, same with actually using specials more often for Cowboys and such.
Viewing post in Defensive Burst Thoughts
i have not really labbed combos but i can see some pros really going to town with combos on burst. Though i feel like it is at least in line with the game in the sense that some nasty fighting game stuff happens :P
So it might be a bit much, because i really feel its only a small bit too weak. there are places where you get a combo out of it already(when you burst your opponent into the corner) but that is also balanced by being glaringly obvious. It certainly has its uses but it doesnt feel like an option i really want to take 90% of the time.
I guess its that Bursting is the only option you have when getting combo´d(disregarding DI for the moment) so it becomes increasingly easy to read and bait as people get more acquainted with the mechanics and setting up combos. It just feels bad to spend all your burst bar only to still be in a really bad spot even when you are successful.
But to your point: i know wizard is very happy to be far away even without meter and burst bar so getting bursted and losing meter would not be as bad for them but it would at least level the playing field measureably. If i send the wizard flying and they still have meter from their previous combo they just start using their supers to set up the ideal wizard ball pit of hell while i have to think about actually getting in.
Without meter Wizard is limited to their usual magic missile spam which can be annoying but it is not that bad. Ninja losing access to quickstrike also really limits the approach options and cowboy not getting free access to damaging teleports with 1000 cuts also helps to enforce a more neutral game state.
Sure at the end of the game its a game about reading your opponents mind, but limiting options makes that a lot easier. If i spend two of my whiff cancels i could be using to get a combo on something else I better not be in a bad spot afterwards