Overview
A Mysterious Component is a device used by Team GO Rocket to hack PokéStops, and for Trainers, it serves as one of the six parts needed to assemble a Rocket Radar. Once you reach Trainer Level 8 under the current leveling system and unlock Team GO Rocket battles, defeating an ordinary Grunt at an invaded PokéStop or in a balloon awards one Mysterious Component.
Collecting six components automatically combines them into a Rocket Radar, which locates the Hideouts of Team GO Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. Assembling your first Rocket Radar from six components also unlocks Rocket Radars for purchase in the in-game Shop. Mysterious Components only build regular Rocket Radars for Leader battles; they cannot be combined into a Super Rocket Radar to find Giovanni.
How to get it
Defeat Team GO Rocket Grunts at invaded PokéStops or in balloons once you unlock Team GO Rocket access at Trainer Level 8.
Complete event Field Research, Timed Research, or Special Research tasks, which can award components even if your Item Bag is full or you already hold a Rocket Radar.
How to use it
Collect six Mysterious Components to automatically assemble a Rocket Radar; crafting your first radar also unlocks Rocket Radars for purchase in the in-game Shop.
Equip the completed Rocket Radar from your Item Bag to locate the Hideouts of Team GO Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra at PokéStops or in balloons.
Worth knowing
Unequipping a Rocket Radar in your Item Bag does not allow Grunts to drop new Mysterious Components; you must use the radar in a Leader battle first.
Components do not build a Super Rocket Radar; Giovanni access comes from a different reward path.
A completed Radar changes what Grunts can reward
In normal progression, you earn one Mysterious Component per Grunt victory until six parts automatically combine into a single Rocket Radar. Holding a completed Rocket Radar in your Item Bag stops Grunts from dropping additional components, so continuing to defeat Grunts while saving a radar will not build up a reserve of parts.
Research tasks create a useful exception to this limit. During Team GO Rocket Takeover events, PokéStop Field Research tasks—such as defeating two or three Grunts—along with Timed Research and seasonal Special Research storylines, frequently award Mysterious Components directly. Because research rewards bypass the Grunt drop restriction, you can claim them even while holding a completed Rocket Radar or when your Item Bag is full.
If claiming a multi-component reward (such as two or three components at once) pushes your total past six, six parts immediately assemble into a Rocket Radar and any excess components carry over toward your next one.
Why a Grunt did not award a component
If you defeat a Grunt and do not receive a Mysterious Component, check your Item Bag capacity and current inventory before starting your next battle. If your Item Bag is full when the battle ends, the Grunt will not drop a component. Likewise, if you already have a Rocket Radar in your Item Bag, Grunts will stop awarding components—and unequipping the Rocket Radar does not bypass this restriction.
The Mysterious Component is awarded on the battle summary screen immediately after you defeat the Grunt, before you start the rescue encounter with the Shadow Pokémon. Whether you catch or flee from the Shadow Pokémon has no effect on receiving the component. Starting from zero components normally requires six Grunt victories unless research tasks supply extra parts.
Shadow Shards use a completely separate collection system. Receiving Shadow Shards from a Grunt without getting a Mysterious Component simply means your component drop was blocked by a full Item Bag or an existing Rocket Radar, not that the component was replaced by a shard. Mysterious Components only assemble into regular Rocket Radars, and neither components nor Shadow Shards can be combined into Giovanni’s Super Rocket Radar.
