 As a character blocked attacks; the meter would deplete until it emptied which resulted in a weapon breaking (the player would also have to pay half the Weapon Meter to perform a Critical Edge combo).Once the character's weapon was broken, they were forced to fight bare-handed until the end of the round.The Weapon Meter was designed to promote consistent offense and deter constant defense (other fighters have adopted similar means to deter over-defending; "Street Fighter Alpha 3"'s Guard Meter is an example of such a device).