Corrosion. Played twice, found the seam. You are right the meter is half a mind: it answers to throws while the punishment runs on a channel it never shows, so a dodge-only player watches a model that is not tracking them. That is the lie, and the fix is the one you named.
Next patch: the read tracks my last action, dodges included, so the meter and the punishment come from the same head.
Second note lands too. Strike cancelling the incoming was a shortcut I took so offense felt good. You are right it makes aggression free and repetition the only cost. I will give the incoming a real threat back so striking is a trade, not a freebie.
Both are in. Come back and tell me if the second head is any more honest. Thanks for the exact read.