Finding Items on the Map

Walking around can uncover more than wild Pokemon. Here is what the map is actually checking, what the two handheld tools do, and which rewards can appear.

How discovery checks work

The map makes a completed discovery check periodically while you are moving. It does not roll once for every arrow tap. About 32.7% of normal completed checks reach the discovery pool. Most of those become a wild Pokemon encounter.

You only need a handheld tool for buried items and coins. Wild Pokemon and Eggs can still appear without one.

Itemfinder
When the current city has a moderate temperature, an item appears on about 2.7% of completed discovery checks. It will not find items in places that are too hot or too cold.

Dowsing Machine
Works in every climate and finds an item on about 7.5% of completed discovery checks.

What an item find can contain

• 54.5% common item -- often a Berry, Shard, Pearl, Rare Bone, or similar map item.
• 27.25% coins -- 1 to 3 coins.
• 7.5% uncommon item -- rarer Berries, Balm Mushroom, Pearl String, Sapphire, Autumn Leaf, and similar finds.
• 5% Comet Shard
• 3.5% Relic Band
• 2% Relic Copper
• 0.25% Lucky Egg or Relic Crown

Those percentages describe the reward after your handheld has found something. A find waits for 90 seconds, so collect it instead of leaving the page.

Eggs and wild Pokemon

Eggs are chosen to suit the types found on the current map. With no handheld item taking priority, an Egg appears on about 1.15% of normal completed discovery checks.

Map wild Pokemon enter battle at no higher than level 100. Each encounter keeps Tackle plus three randomly chosen moves matching that Pokemon's type or types. If you catch it, those are the moves it keeps.

Tip: keep moving, let each check finish, and collect an item as soon as it appears.

Guide updated for the Rebirth map system, October 2026.