After carefully watching almost every character, but mostly the main zoners in this game, I have the following to say:
Personal assessment/opinion subject to flaws yadda yadda. Tis what I think, yo.
1. Zoning has several, conflicting properties regarding game balance.
1.a. A knockback shot should be unsafe on block and very punishable on whiff.
1.b. A shot safe on block and whiff should deal abismal damage.
1.c. Ground-up shots should be unsafe on block and whiff, especially if they are launchers.
1.d. Overhead shots should be unsafe on block and whiff.
2. Zoning is very powerful in this game, but that is not a bad thing.
2.a. The bad thing is how other mechanics seem to merely equal it and only do so within range.
- This means that you take more risk going in to punish zoning than it takes to zone right back.
- And the reward thereof is barely worth taking said risk.
2.b. Thus rushdown and melee characters need more work and are harder to manage.
The game balance needs to reward the character getting in by being able to deal massive damage, because a single shot will force them to have to come right back in.