Base–Fossil Cube

This 360-card card cube contains cards from only the game’s first three sets: Base Set, Jungle and Fossil. It is designed to be drafted by exactly 8 players, but it can also be played with 4 or 6 players. (Keep in mind that less players will create a longer drafting process.) Players should construct 40-card decks to battle in 4-Prize matches.

Base–Fossil Cube (360 cards)

Water (40)	Fire (35)	Grass (41)	Psychic (36)
4️⃣ Squirtle 3️⃣ Wartortle 2️⃣ Blastoise 4️⃣ Tentacool 3️⃣ Tentacruel 3️⃣ Magikarp 2️⃣ Gyarados 3️⃣ Seel 3️⃣ Dewgong 4️⃣ Psyduck 3️⃣ Golduck 2️⃣ Articuno 2️⃣ Lapras 2️⃣ Vaporeon	4️⃣ Charmander 3️⃣ Charmeleon 2️⃣ Charizard 4️⃣ Vulpix 2️⃣ Ninetales 3️⃣ Growlithe 3️⃣ Arcanine 4️⃣ Ponyta 3️⃣ Rapidash 3️⃣ Magmar 2️⃣ Moltres 2️⃣ Flareon	4️⃣ Bulbasaur 3️⃣ Ivysaur 2️⃣ Venusaur 4️⃣ Nidoran♂ 3️⃣ Nidorino 2️⃣ Nidoking 4️⃣ Venonat 2️⃣ Venomoth 4️⃣ Exeggcute 3️⃣ Exeggutor 4️⃣ Grimer 2️⃣ Muk 2️⃣ Scyther 2️⃣ Pinsir	4️⃣ Abra 3️⃣ Kadabra 2️⃣ Alakazam 3️⃣ Gastly 2️⃣ Haunter 2️⃣ Gengar 4️⃣ Drowzee 2️⃣ Hypno 4️⃣ Slowpoke 3️⃣ Slowbro 2️⃣ Mewtwo 3️⃣ Jynx 2️⃣ Mr. Mime
Fighting (31)	Lightning (24)	Colorless (80)	Trainers (73)
4️⃣ Machop 3️⃣ Machoke 2️⃣ Machamp 4️⃣ Sandshrew 3️⃣ Sandslash 4️⃣ Mankey 3️⃣ Primeape 2️⃣ Hitmonchan 2️⃣ Hitmonlee 4️⃣ Onix	4️⃣ Magnemite 2️⃣ Magneton 4️⃣ Pikachu 2️⃣ Raichu 4️⃣ Voltorb 2️⃣ Electrode 2️⃣ Zapdos 2️⃣ Electabuzz 2️⃣ Jolteon	3️⃣ Dratini 2️⃣ Dragonair 2️⃣ Dragonite 4️⃣ Pidgey 2️⃣ Pidgeotto 2️⃣ Pidgeot 4️⃣ Rattata 3️⃣ Raticate 4️⃣ Doduo 3️⃣ Dodrio 2️⃣ Clefairy 2️⃣ Clefable 4️⃣ Jigglypuff 2️⃣ Wigglytuff 4️⃣ Spearow 3️⃣ Fearow 4️⃣ Meowth 3️⃣ Persian 2️⃣ Chansey 3️⃣ Farfetch’d 3️⃣ Porygon 2️⃣ Kangaskhan 2️⃣ Snorlax 3️⃣ Lickitung 3️⃣ Tauros 4️⃣ Eevee 2️⃣ Ditto 3️⃣ Double Colorless Energy	4️⃣ Bill 2️⃣ Clefairy Doll 2️⃣ Computer Search 3️⃣ Defender 4️⃣ Energy Removal 3️⃣ Energy Retrieval 4️⃣ Energy Search 3️⃣ Full Heal 4️⃣ Gust of Wind 2️⃣ Imposter Professor Oak 2️⃣ Item Finder 2️⃣ Lass 3️⃣ Mr. Fuji 3️⃣ PlusPower 4️⃣ Poké Ball 3️⃣ Pokédex 2️⃣ Pokémon Breeder 3️⃣ Pokémon Center 2️⃣ Pokémon Trader 4️⃣ Potion 3️⃣ Professor Oak 2️⃣ Scoop Up 2️⃣ Super Energy Removal 3️⃣ Super Potion 4️⃣ Switch

Revised on 6/6/2024: –4 Poliwag, –3 Poliwhirl, –2 Poliwrath, +4 Tentacool, +3 Tentacruel, +1 Psyduck, +1 Golduck. (Golduck line was corrected to reflect rarity.)

In addition to the 360 cards listed above, I recommend having 40 each of Fire, Lightning and Fighting Energy, and 45 each of Water, Grass and Psychic Energy cards so that players have access to the Basic Energy cards needed to build their decks.

The Design

This cube was designed with simplicity in mind, but not at the expense of being extremely fun to play. While other Pokémon cubes contain cards that span across decades, I purposely limited the cards in this cube to the game’s first three sets, which are full of iconic and well-known cards that don’t have a lot of text to read or memorize. And while other cubes contain unpredictable amounts of cards, I used consistent card counts based on each card’s rarity: if a card is common, there are 4 copies, uncommon there are 3, rare there are 2. This helps players better know what to expect and to not be overwhelmed by the drafting process. With less surprises, the drafting process goes by quickly, since players will not need to constantly pause to read cards and ask questions. This saved time means more games of Pokémon! (And isn’t that the main goal in life?)

Embracing the Imperfections

While the earliest sets don’t give equal love to each of the types (Grass type has a lot more Pokémon than Lightning type, for example), that’s okay! Just as every Pokémon format has its own overpowered and underpowered cards, the game manages to finds a natural balance. This under-representation of certain types adds a level of strategy to the drafting process that wouldn’t otherwise be present if all types were equally represented. That’s because players may be hesitant to draft a weak type, which can enable another player to easily obtain that type and in turn build a strong and consistent deck.

And while Base Set contains many overpowered Trainer cards, you’ll hardly mind them in the small doses they are present in this cube. For example, there’s only 2 Super Energy Removals total, so you won’t find it challenging to build up those Stage 2 monsters that you never could playing the Removal-filled Base–Fossil format. Sure, there’s no denying that a player lucky enough to draft a Professor Oak Trainer card is going to have an advantage over opponents who aren’t fortunate enough to find one, but what fun would Pokémon be without these strong cards to root for when opening packs?