What is a good moveset for Volbeat?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Volbeat, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Volbeat Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Volbeat @ Iron Ball
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Trick
- Tail Glow
- Baton Pass
- Encore / Substitute

Prankster bypasses the speed drop made by Iron Ball, so Trick can be used first to give the opponent it.
Tail Glow boosts SpA, only to be Baton Passed by Baton Pass though.
Encore may give Volbeat a free setup of some sort, but Substitute can be Baton Passed as well and if it manages to set it up safely.

Comments

How  would you get a volbeat with prankster and baton pass

---

You can get one from the Dream World.
Volbeat or Illumise can produce eggs of one or the other. So, if you breed Illumise with something that has Baton Pass, the babies can hatch into Volbeat.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Volbeat @ Leftovers / Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Thunder Wave
- U-Turn
- Light Screen
- Tailwind

Thunder Wave puts some status onto your opponent, which will annoy them and be super useful. U-Turn let's you run away and give the role to another Pokemon after you've done your job. Like using Tailwind to support other team mates with higher speed, or using Light screen to give defensive boosts to other team members.

Answer 3

---

@
Volbeat @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Atk / 232 Def
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Quick Attack
- Roost

This is one of those weird set's I came up with a while ago. It's pretty simple Toxic Stall. Start of with a Substitute only if you predict a Switch, then as the opponent Switches, use Toxic to wear their HP down, slowly but surely. Then if you think there is going to be an Attack, then Sub again. If not, then Roost up. Quick Attack is just a filler move for when your opponent is on really low HP and you can OHKO them.

Answer 4

Volbeat @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Bug Buzz
- Baton Pass
- Tailwind / Thunder Wave

·Tail Glow -To raise up that special attack.
·Bug Buzz -To do damage.
·Baton Pass -Baton pass the Tail glow to some fast Pokemon with good special attack
·Tailwind/Thunder Wave -For when you switch back in.

Answer 5

Rain Setter

Gen 8 BDSP NU

Volbeat @ Damp Rock
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rain Dance
- Encore
- Roost
- U-turn

A Rain Setter set for rain teams in BDSP NU. Rain Dance alongside Prankster guarantees you setup rain that lasts for 8 turns thanks to Damp Rock. Encore locks opposing Pokemon into a move they previously used, which is useful to use on a Pokemon using a setup move. Roost is for longevity and has priority healing thanks to Prankster. U-turn is for STAB that allows you to bring in a teammate. The given EVs make this set specially defensive so you can survive hits from Sceptile, which is something rain teams appreciate.

Answer 6

Doubles VGC

Volbeat @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 36 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tail Glow
- Baton Pass
- Tailwind
- Thunder Wave

The main focus is to use a tail glow and then baton pass the +3 boost to a strong special attacker like Flutter Mane or BM-Ursaluna. With prankster, status moves get priority, and with the focus sash, your chances of being able to survive to pass it on are better.

Since Volbeat has really bad stats, being out sped is almost guaranteed, and surviving a hit or two is unlikely. With this EV spread though, Booster Energy Flutter Mane's Moonblast is a three hit K-O, and you out speed Bulky Murkrow, which can be relevant due to Volbeat being affected by taunt, and Murkrow generally carrying Haze, with could negate the stat boost.

The other two moves, Tailwind and Thunder Wave are just there for speed control. Volbeat does have other good support moves, such as Encore, Helping Hand, Protect, Light Screen, Substitute, Taunt and Trick.

Answer 7

Volbeat @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Thunder Wave
- Confuse Ray
- Baton Pass

The idea is to paralyze and confuse, then use tail glow (hopefully twice). Then, you baton pass and sweep away the enemy.

Answer 8

SpAtk Baton Passer Volbeat

Volbeat @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Confuse Ray
- Tail Glow
- Baton Pass

We have a Sash to not get OHKO'd.
Prankster gives status-moves priority, wich is really handy when all of the moves in this set are status-moves.
Max Spd and HP EVs, we actually don't need speed cause all of the moves are given priorirty, the only times we need that speed is when the foe has a priority move.
We don't have Timid cause all of its moves are priority, so either SpDef or Def is more handy than Spd, so I chose Bold for Defending.
Start out with a priority T-Wave to cripple the guy you're playin' against.
Then cripple him even more with Confuse Ray.
Now you basicly have a free turn to use Tail Glow(up SpAtk by 3) cause he either has to switch out or stay in and not get in an attack.
If you're really greedy use it twice, but it may do with only one Tail Glow.
Then you can Baton Pass into a speedy SpAttacker and sweep his whole team, you're welcome.

PS!!! Watch out for Taunt!!

Answer 9

This setup is similar to a few I've seen, with a couple changes:

Volbeat @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Calm Nature
- Confuse Ray
- Tail Glow
- Silver Wind
- Baton Pass

Z- Confuse Ray confuses target, and raises Special Attack +1... Tailglow (obviously) raises Special Attack +3... If they're hitting themselves alot from confusion, and you have a comfortable amount of HP left, you can smack them around with Silver Wind until you're nervous about getting knocked out, or they snap out of confusion (Silver Wind has a chance of raising all stats), then Baton Pass (with +1 priority thanks to Prankster) the +4 Special Attack boost, plus whatever boosts Silver Wind granted you, to a fast, bulky, special attacker that's now boosted into a KOing machine.

Answer 10

Volbeat @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Lunge
- Acrobatics
- Play Rough / Roost
- Thunder Wave

Have you seen this guy's SpA? 47 base, utterly terrible. It does have decent attack though. On your first turn out, use Thunder Wave (Priority with Prankster). Lunge is STAB and lowers the foe's attack. Acrobatics is for when your Focus Sash is consumed. Play Rough is extra coverage, or you can get your health back up with priority Roost.