For Abel’s tag-in combo, if the scaling isn’t below 40-50%, the optimal combo is step kick --> cr.HP xx Falling Sky. If the scaling is already high, then go for the double step kick combo as you mentioned.
Ah, thanks! I forgot that both hits of cr.HP can be special cancelled. 
THE SUPER ABEL GUIDE
All the vanilla sfxt abel stuff I know.
- always end combos with fs->roll. lk.roll gives you the coolest cl.hk/TT/cr.lk mixup ever, other rolls to st.lk if they mash too much.
- Bryan’s chain thing that ends in that sweep->tag cancel->cr.lk. lk.roll/TT, SFIV abel mixups.
- St.lk
- f.mk->cr.lk connects in this game, although if I know a character can’t punish st.hp, I like to go for that sometimes too (man damage).
- Since abel’s main pokes are standing, getting rl’d shouldn’t happen.
- midrange is the best.
I really like Abel in this game, dunno who to partner him with tho. I feel he needs a solid footsie/neutral game character to counter his bad matchups or someone who can get in.
I tried Asuka as my waifu, but her neutral game is soo ass. Rolento is too slow, and Ibuki is slightly too execution heavy. I feel like in this game simple gameplans work very well. I’m going to experiment with M.Bison and Cammy see how it goes.
Im using him with Kazuya…I likes da damage! Kaz on Point
Initial 2013 impressions:
Shoulder Tackle
- If you’re accustomed to doing tackles from down-back, be careful not to do a QCF motion while going forward for the tackle. If there is any down-forward inputted, it will always result in a CoD coming out instead.
- Haven’t gotten an opportunity to try the armored tackles, you need a perfect read on a fireball or long poke. Very risky to throw out, startup and recovery are both awful.
cr.HP + Wheel Kick
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In my opinion, the biggest change to Abel’s game. Because of Wheel Kick’s ground bounce, we now have an anti-air BnB like Juri and Ibuki. However, the primary difference between Abel’s and theirs is that Abel’s cr.HP has to be thrown out fairly early in anticipation or else it will be beat out despite the hurtbox being reduced. Even when I thought I had thrown it out early enough, a j.HP from Juri beat my elbow or traded in her favor. It would likely be the same with other deep hitting jump-ins like Dudley’s j.HK. Or, it could be that the opponent was right over me so she ended up kicking my head. Either way, it’s not godlike like Juri’s or Ibuki’s anti-airs, but it’ll scare the shit out of fools from jumping.
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Also, the optimal meterless punish has changed with the addition of this. Before it was cr.HP xx lk.Roll > step kick > step kick > s.FP xx Falling Sky. Now, it’s simply cr.HP xx Wheel Kick > f.MK > s.FP xx Falling Sky.
Tornado Throw
- Noticed people going for throws a lot more, so tried to TT an upcoming grab like in SF4. Works better depending on the opponent’s character. Basically, if they have a 3/4F jab of any sort, it is the hardest to correctly determine when to command grab because getting jabbed out of everything is the name of this game. Doesn’t help that the startup is still garbage. Great to use when they’re expecting a throw out of you, though.
Any new combos? I was only able to mess around with him a little last night, played him and King.
Super punish them rolls!
So I’ve been messing around with some set ups that I thought of since the patch notes came out, and I’ve got a good find.
Hard knockdown off of tornado throw or CoD, then: immediate cr.LK, let HP shoulder charge rip.
Completely safe on block against 3 frame reversals and slower, if they press any buttons they get CH for the wallbounce, and any one hit reversals will get absorbed by armor. If the reversal is very invincible and doesn’t start up in under 8 frames or something like that, then it will catch Abel in his recovery.
Rolls will mess with this set up’s effectiveness, but if you fake the shoulder and dash, you can score a free mix up/TT/or reg throw for free.
Making it safe against DP’s is a bit iffy. It really does have to be immediate on both the LK buffer and releasing the shoulder. Messing either up will get you hit. It’s also pretty easy alpha counter bait, but a very strong answer for fools that just love that jab jab jab.
Since alpha counters got nerfed, I’m pretty okay with them spending a bar just to get out of a single attack that’s even at most on block. But you’ll definitely want to use something else if you dont want to give them a free tag.
It’s been pretty effective for me just due to how much it makes the opponent roll. I’ve gotten so many free TTs
Man, I think Abel is pretty godlike in this game. cr.hp is damn nice now. I love that if i get in somehow, and do say 2-3 cr.lk and they try to neutral jump, i can cr.hp xx lk wheel kick, etc.
Just being able to combo at all is nice
St.lk buffered into whatever footsies is amazing. It was already an amazing poke in street fighter but it was more of an annoyance. Now you can get a free tag combo off any lk making it godlike.
He can tag launch off his hella fast overhead… god do I catch so many people with this. Yes, it’s unsafe but they have to be expecting that exactly pretty much, and it scares them from blocking low/jumping setting you up for easy tick TT/low starting combos.
And i think his TT is still damn good in the context of SFXT. Funny tidbit… his meaty TT beats all of ken’s dps except EX. I can’t help but smile when i see the flaming fist or even mp.dp start to animate and then he gets scooped midway. I don’t know if ken’s dps suck now but damn.
And for the record, against scrubs who just do walking jabs, EX TT is a godsend. Especially against rolentos, oh where are they now?
That being said, i still think the shoulder charge is practically useless. To use the armor against projectiles or whatever, you have to be so far ahead in timing that it HAS to be predictions.
Actually, are there any strong Tag Out combos for Abel?
Am I the only one who prefers cr.MK as an anti air? It comes out faster, and so you can do it later meaning you are more likely to get a counter hit wheel kick combo…
Just found this, post partner launcher/tag, abel can do st.mp (1 hit) lk wheel kick, step kick dash st.hp (1 hit) hp falling sky.
It works anywhere and is way easier than the double step kick combo (and does more damage) so i don’t think there’s any reason not to do this version
Better combo is:
sHP, LK wheel, fMK~dash, sHP, falling sky.
Anything into sHP is really good.
Also i really like abel in this version too. Cr.hp isn’t as godlike as i thought it would be. Lk wheel kick is distance dependent, if its a deep jumpin either you hace to do cr.hp really early in which case lk wheel kick wont combo or you can risk it and do it later, but then cr.hp will often trade :v. I’ve been using ex falling sky to be safe a bunch of times since it pretty much beats most air options
I’m going to experiment with the meaty shoulder rush, i feel like it could be promising, especially if you convince them not to tech. Could be a good gimmick to throw out once and awhile.
Also, i dont know his tag switch combos after a launcher, but ima try to find one. I couldnt find one that was posted, but it will prob utilize wheel kick
On step kick hit, I just do cl.hp tag launch since it’s typically more damage with a tag in combo than a step kick combo now. Of course, when my partner has low health or lots of recoverable damage I don’t but yeah.
Now that abel has a decent anti air, I feel he’s good on point for tagging into a high damage character (Jin for me). For example, after landing a step kick, I do cl.hp (2 hits) into launcher, into Jin’s b+mp hp CADC cr.mp, cr.hp xx SS MP. If I miss the cl.hp link somehow (3f in this game) it’s -4 but with good pushback.
That cr.hp into wheel kick buff has turned abel into a monster. Tagging him from a partner’s juggle (with enough airtime) can allow him to land raw wheel kick into big damage. e.g. Jin’s st.mk xx special step uppercut, st.mk Median Line Destruction; the MDL / 5 punch move gives abel enough time to just walk in and lk wheel kick into full combo.
Mixup I’ve been using on their wakeup is:
Cr.lk (low) linked into cl.hp (2 hits) - if it hits I launcher, if its blocked I’m -4 with good pushback
Cl.hk (overhead) into launcher. This is actually hitconfirmable as you can launch from it fairly late, but it’s pretty hard to do : (
Block on their reversal timing, then immediately TT at max distance. Avoids wakeup moves (and throws as their range is poor) but loses to jumps and delayed reversals.
meaty Cr.hp. At worst it’s only -1 on block, if done right meaty you can be at max +2 I think.
After a TT I’ve just been doing HK roll, gives enough advantage for mixup. Same with CoD
After Falling Sky been doing LK roll
Haven’t really found a use for shoulder charge yet… attempted Swoops’ setup but couldn’t get it to work consistently : (
Anyone found a good option after a blocked step kick? Since it’s -1 in this game I’ve been doing cl.hp (fastest normal) or ex TT if I have a lot of meter.
Edit:
I’ve been using: cl.hp xx lk wheel kick, fMK, cl.hp xx Falling Sky. I find it harder to land the cl.hp in the corner consistently (the wheel kick often whiffs for me), so there I’ll sometimes use cr.lp, fMK, cl.hp xx Falling Sky
If anyone has better options, please share!