i think the idea of the skill chain and stance is not bad, but i see it more like this:
- first for the stance: instead to get tons of action, make the action change depending of the stance, like this with the samurai you can have 3 skill based on vertical attack, horizontal attack and thrust. but with each stance it will change the effect of even the skill.
important to note, between each of the three action of a stance you can change freely into another stance.maybe they can put a limitation like with the system of stance of nightmare and siegfried from soulcalibur. you do a skill you can change into this stance or another,...

- second the skill chain, the idea is good and can be really interesting. by mixing it with the stance system i think you can offer more possibility and instead to have a combo system like the 3 other melee jobs, you will have system of skill chain.