Volbeat Best Moveset
Bug at 47 Sp. Atk and 85 Speed with AbilityPrankster giving priority to status moves. MoveTail Glow triples Sp. Atk in one turn, but the base is so low that tripled still underwhelms. Priority MoveEncore and MoveThunder Wave have niche value. The moveset is a support Pokemon that occasionally becomes a setup threat if ignored.
Tail Glow tripled Sp. Atk in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Volbeat had 47 Sp. Atk. Triple nothing is still nothing. The move was wasted on its creator.
Support Moveset
- Signal Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Trick
- Brick Break
Recommended Teammates
Tail Glow plus Baton Pass was the strategy in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Triple a teammate's Sp. Atk in one turn. Volbeat existed to pass, not to fight.
Best Moves
Best Build
Volbeat best EVs are HP and Defense
Wall Moveset
- Encore
- Roost
- Bug Bite
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Prankster gave priority Tail Glow and Baton Pass in Gen V (Black & White). Pass before the opponent attacks. The best Volbeat set ever, purely as a support piece.
Wall Moveset
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Trick
Recommended Teammates
Prankster Tail Glow Pass was scoutable in Gen VI (X & Y). Taunt, Haze, or just KOing Volbeat before it passed. The gimmick got predictable.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- U Turn
- Trick
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
Recommended Teammates
Prankster nerfed against Dark-types in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). One more check against Volbeat's only strategy. The Baton Pass window kept shrinking.
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Defog
- Thunder Wave
- Encore
Recommended Teammates
Six gens as a Baton Pass machine in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). When Tail Glow passed, the teammate swept. Volbeat was never the one sweeping.
Wall Moveset
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- U Turn
- Roost
Recommended Teammates
Volbeat Weakness
Fire, Flying, and Rock moves hit Volbeat for super-effective damage. With 65 HP and balanced defenses, Volbeat can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Ground |
What is Volbeat Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Volbeat
Miraidon's Draco Meteor hits Volbeat for 52-62%. Staraptor deals 70-83% with Double-Edge.
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityHadronengine ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Volbeat View Miraidon builds →Draco Meteor52-62% Dazzling Gleam32-38% Volt Switch28-34% | ||
 Volcarona BugFire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves View Volcarona builds →
| ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Volbeat View Staraptor builds →Close Combat23-28% U Turn28-33% Double Edge70-83% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityAsonespectrier ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves View Calyrex-Shadow builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntrepidsword ItemRustedsword NatureJolly Moves View Zacian-Crowned builds →
| ||
Evolution
Breeding is the whole story for Volbeat. Plenty of partners through two egg groups, eggs are quick to hatch, and you won't need to evolve anything. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Volbeat with 91 breeding partners from the Bug and Humanshape egg groups.
Volbeat Locations
16 encounter spots for Volbeat at moderate rates starting from early-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Volbeat in Scarlet & Violet
You can catch Volbeat through 8 walking encounters from Lv. 7-60, but availability differs between Violet and Scarlet. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
moderate rates across 10 locations for Volbeat in endgame routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Best Locations to Catch Volbeat in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Volbeat appears in 6 walking locations at Lv. 50-63 across Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond. Not all encounters show up in every version, so check which ones match your game.
Volbeat doesn't appear in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Transfer it from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Volbeat is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Volbeat doesn't appear in Sun & Moon. Transfer it from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Volbeat is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Base Stats
Sp. Def and Speed carry most of Volbeat's stat budget. Sp. Atk's the obvious dump stat. Common in the wild and yields 1 Speed EV. Follows a standard growth curve.
It communicates with others by lighting up its rear at night. It loves Illumise’s sweet aroma.
Volbeat Guide
It depends on your team. Volbeat at 430 BST isn't a powerhouse, but the Bug coverage might be exactly what you're missing.
Prankster changes the entire equation for Volbeat. The 430 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a support.
Prankster is what you want on Volbeat. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Illuminate, Swarm) work on paper but Prankster is what makes Volbeat worth using.
Volbeat's hidden ability is Prankster. Raises non-damaging moves' priority by one stage. Better than the standard options for competitive play.
Game Availability
Available in 14 titles since its debut in Ruby & Sapphire, Volbeat spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in a solid number of games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves