[HIDE="Skeleton"][Overview]

Good support Pokemon.
Prankster gives it its main niche.
Almost always sets up weather.
Possesses priority Tail Glow and Baton Pass.
Mediocre bulk at best, Bug typing prevents too many opportunities to switch in thanks to hazards.
Works well in creating free turns and switch-in opportunities for teammates with Encore and U-turn.
[SET]
name: Weather Supporter
move 1: Rain Dance / Sunny Day
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Encore
move 4: Thunder Wave
item: Damp Rock / Heat Rock
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold / Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Prankster is key to success of set.
Rain Dance and Sunny Day are main moves to support the team.
Slow U-turn lets Volbeat take a hit and get a teammate in safely in as few turns as possible.
Encore creates free set up and/or switch-in opportunities.
Thunder Wave cripples Pokemon that you don't want to Encore, mainly Choiced Pokemon.
Encore and Thunder Wave are generally best used before setting up weather to prevent wasted weather turns.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Damp/Heat Rock are best choice of item to extend duration of respective weather.
EVs maximize physical bulk since Bug has decent physical resistances in Fighting, Ground, and Grass (mostly former two).
Can set Speed IVs to 11 to still outpace no Speed Alomomola with a Relaxed nature, but makes U-turn go second more often.
Roost is now legal with Prankster thanks to BW2 move tutors and can be used over Thunder Wave.
Substitute, Tail Glow, and Baton Pass are all possible options for the last three slots, but is generally asking Volbeat to do far too much.
Weather sweepers are a must: Ludicolo, Seismitoad, and Gorebyss are good Swift Swim users for Rain, while Exeggutor, Victreebel, and Shiftry are great Chlorophyll users for Sun.
Other bulkier weather setters are recommended for continued weather setting: Rotom-S for Rain and Regirock for Sun are good options.
Rain teams can abuse Pokemon like Jynx and Articuno due to reduced Fire weakness and Rain's additional benefits (Dry Skin and Hurricane).
Sun teams can abuse Solar Power Charizard as well as other Fire-types.
Something like Scolipede to absorb Toxic Spikes for Rain teams is helpful since they greatly reduce Rain teams lifespan by quickly wearing down sweepers.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Encore / Thunder Wave
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Prankster is key to success of set.
Tail Glow is the star of set because it is the only Pokemon to learn it in NU.
Baton Pass lets Volbeat pass +3 boosts to special sweepers.
Substitute provides a buffer against status and gives Volbeat something to Baton Pass to teammates that don't use special moves.
Encore creates free set up opportunities and is the best option.
Thunder Wave cripples Pokemon that you don't want to Encore, mainly Choiced Pokemon, but doesn't provide reliable set up opportunities.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Leftovers lets Volbeat create up to 5 Substitutes.
EVs maximize physical bulk.
Bug Buzz can be used, but even after +3 it isn't that impressive coming off base 47 Special Attack.
Roost can be used in the last slot to extend Volbeat's longevity.
Water-type special attackers like Samurott and Swanna are good recipients to handle Fire-types for Volbeat and likely sheer through the opposing teams with a Tail Glow boosts.
Electric-types like Eelektross and Electabuzz are good recipients to take Flying-type attacks while still using the boosts well.
Faster Special attackers like Kadabra, Swoobat (though Simple doesn't double Baton Passed boosts), and Serperior are nice teammates if Volbeat doesn't carry Thunder Wave.
Something to prevent Stealth Rock from wearing Volbeat down like Mold Breaker Sawk or Rapid Spin Torkoal is helpful.
[Other Options]
Swagger and Confuse Ray are options alongside Thunder Wave, but Liepard is far superior thanks to Foul Play.
Moonlight can be used with Sunny Day to extend Volbeat's bulk, but most neutral attacks will still deal over 50% damage.
Prankster Trick is usable with Choice Band or Iron Ball to hinder the opposing team, but Volbeat would prefer using Thunder Wave and Encore.
Light Screen takes advantage of Volbeat's higher base Special Defense, but doesn't really make too much of a difference.
Psych Up can steal boosts from the opposing Pokemon and Baton Pass them away, but is too reliant on your opponent.
A more offensive variation of the Baton Pass set with Tail Glow / Baton Pass/ Bug Buzz / Thunderbolt can work, but it has to rely on an average base 85 Speed when it uses its offensive moves.
Mental Herb can prevent Taunt once.
[Checks and Counters]

It's better to not try to directly counter Volbeat, but target the incoming weather sweeper or Baton Pass recipient. Volbeat isn't that threatening on its own.
Murkrow is Volbeat's biggest nemesis thanks to Prankster Taunt and Brave Bird, as well as higher Speed.
Rock Blast users like Golem and Gigalith can limit the amount of set up Volbeat can perform, as well as break its Substitutes.
Encore users without priority can go second and lock Volbeat into a move.
Preying on its weaknesses is a simple way to reduce Volbeat's set up to a single time.
Roar, Whirlwind, and Haze users can remove any boosts Volbeat has set up.
Taunt users can limit what Volbeat can do.
Choice Band Golurk can stop Volbeat pretty easily, since Encore and Thunder Wave are useless on it.
Liepard can use Prankster Taunt as well, or at least Swagger it and make it a matter of luck whether Volbeat can set up or not.
Stealth Rock reduces the number of switch-ins that Volbeat gets.
[/HIDE]