>>44291112I play competitively, you have no idea what you are talking about. Most of the pure zoners are low or mid tier (who mind you are still viable at high level play since the game is well balanced). Top and high tier are mostly generalist characters who can do a bit of everything.
And phase shifting adds a lot to the game's complexity, on a basic level it acts as an anti-infinite system and forces a return to neutral as well as a second layer to neutral play
Additionally, and most importantly, it encourages adaption: Since different moves have different amounts of shift points (with shifts from 2d to 3d occuring when a certain amount of points are racked up; 3d > 2d shifts happen on any heavy hit), it means you need to consider shift points as an added factor alongside damage, meter gain, and frame data when using moves; and at higher levels of play, actively need to alter your combo composition and move choices based on the state of the match in response to if shifting or staying in the current phase would be more advantagous based on the current situation, the matchup, how the other player is playing, etc.
Perhaps you have the other player in a pressure situation against the corner, and you have to choose between a combo that might do more damage or is safer, but would cause a shift when in that matchup, the 2d phase is more towards your advantage. Or perhaps you are at dangerously low health, but almost have full meter, and you have to choose between using a higher damage combo that would KEEP you in the 2d phase, and pone that does less damage, but would cause a faster shift, and since shifts give you meter, and burst gives you health regen, you can do the lower damage combo to cause a shift to give you the meter to go in burst, etc
