Rocket Radar

Overview

A Rocket Radar is a tracking device that reveals Team GO Rocket Leader hideouts and lets you challenge Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra. Once you reach Trainer Level 8 under the current leveling system, defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts awards Mysterious Components; collecting six of them automatically combines them into a Rocket Radar.

While the radar is equipped, tapping the radar icon below the compass on the map shows nearby PokéStop hideouts (active from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time), and the next Team GO Rocket balloon to appear will be piloted by one of the three Leaders at any hour.

You can equip or unequip the radar in your Item Bag at any time, and the item is only consumed when you defeat a Leader—inspecting a lineup, fleeing, or losing a battle leaves your radar intact so you can try again without rebuilding it.

How to get it

• Collect and combine six Mysterious Components from Team GO Rocket Grunt victories once you reach Trainer Level 8.

• Earn whole Rocket Radars from Special Research, Timed Research, Collection Challenges, or GO Pass tracks, or buy them in the shop for 200 PokéCoins after assembling your first one.

How to use it

1. Equip the Rocket Radar from your Item Bag, then tap the radar icon below the map compass to scan for nearby PokéStop hideouts or wait for a Team GO Rocket balloon.

2. Unequip the Rocket Radar in your Item Bag if you want to save it for later. Inspecting a hideout, fleeing, or losing a Leader battle does not consume the radar.

Worth knowing

Holding any Rocket Radar in your Item Bag—even if it is unequipped—stops Grunts from dropping Mysterious Components.

Keep an open Egg slot (regular or bonus storage) as well as space in your Pokémon Storage and Item Bag before defeating a Leader if you want a 12 km Strange Egg.

Prepare for shields before spending the Radar

Unlike Team GO Rocket Grunts, Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra always use Protect Shields to block the first two Charged Attacks you throw in battle. Leading with a Pokémon that reaches low-energy Charged Attacks quickly lets you strip away both shields early, clearing the way for slower, harder-hitting Charged Attacks against the rest of the Leader’s team.

Because the Rocket Radar is only consumed when you win, you can scout a Leader’s lineup, back out, and adjust your counters without losing the item. Stock up on Revives and Potions before a tough rematch so a lost attempt does not leave your roster fainted. Winning the battle spends the radar and grants Stardust, item bundles, a 12 km Strange Egg when eligible space is open, and a rescue encounter with the Leader’s first Shadow Pokémon, which has a chance to be Shiny.

Shop unlock and equipping

After you assemble your first Rocket Radar from six Mysterious Components, individual Rocket Radars unlock in the in-game shop for 200 PokéCoins. You can also earn whole radars from Special Research, Timed Research, Collection Challenges, and event GO Pass tracks, or find them in occasional shop and Web Store bundles.

When you obtain or assemble a radar, you can equip it right away or toggle it later by opening your Item Bag, tapping Rocket Radar, and selecting Equip or Unequip. Unequipping a radar stops Leaders from appearing in Rocket balloons, but simply unequipping it does not resume Mysterious Component drops from Grunts as long as a Rocket Radar remains in your Item Bag.

Choosing a Leader and preparing the reward space

Locating a hideout or checking which Leader is waiting at a PokéStop or in a balloon does not spend your Rocket Radar. PokéStop hideouts stay with the same Leader from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time each day, while Rocket balloons can bring Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra at any hour while your radar is equipped.

If you need a specific Leader for a research task or want to farm a particular Leader’s opening Shadow Pokémon, you can ignore the other two Leaders and check different PokéStops or wait for the next balloon.

Your Rocket Radar is consumed the moment you defeat a Leader, before you start the Shadow Pokémon catch encounter. Egg capacity (9 standard slots plus 3 bonus storage slots) and Pokémon Storage are separate from your Item Bag capacity, and official support guidance recommends having open space in your Egg inventory, Pokémon Storage, and Item Bag before battling Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra so you do not miss out on the 12 km Strange Egg or the Shadow encounter.

Grunts will not award Mysterious Components if your Item Bag is full or if you already hold one or more Rocket Radars. However, Rocket Radars claimed from Special Research, Timed Research, Collection Challenges, GO Pass rewards, or shop purchases can stack in your Item Bag, and you can still claim event Field Research tasks that directly award Mysterious Components while holding a radar.

Ordinary component drops from Grunts resume only after you spend your last held Rocket Radar and have free space in your Item Bag.