From: PokemonMechanic


CALCULATING ENERGY FOR MULTI-COLORED DECKS
How do you get a Base Number of Energy cards for your deck?


(A Base Number is a number you start with before finding the perfect number of Energy Cards for 
your deck. )
You can say, "I want 10 Fighting Energy and 10 Lightning Energy in my Haymaker because that 
should be enough." 


But that would be a guess. Let us make that guess a better one. Let us make it an educated guess. 
If we develop a Base Number mathematically, you can justify how you came up with the amount of 
Energy in your deck.


I want to emphasize that this is just one of probably many ways to come up with Energy. Hopefully
 it will give you some sort of satisfaction when you complete the process. 


Here are the basics in 9 easy steps on how to come up with the Energy for Multi-Colored decks. 
We will do two decks to get ya goin’!!!


DECK ONE: 3 Color Fossil Haymaker
3 Magmar (Fossil)
3 Hitmonchan
3 Scyther
3 Electabuzz


Step 1
First you need to pick a total energy count. This is based on the amount of Pokemon and Trainers
in your deck. Usually Energy is between 22 and 28 (including DCE).
We will use a Total Energy count of 26 for this example.


Step 2
How much COLOR energy would it cost to use each Pokémons biggest attack?
Magmar (Fossil) = 2 Fire to do Smog attack.
Hitmonchan = 2 Fight to do a Special Punch attack.
Scyther = 0 to do Slash.
Electabuzz = 1 Lightning to do Thunder Punch.


Step 3
Multiply these numbers with the number of each of the Pokémon.
3 Magmar (Fossil) x 2 Fire = 6
3 Hitmonchan x 2 Fight = 6
3 Electabuzz x 1 Lightning = 3


Step 4
Add each of the results to get:
6 + 6 + 3 = 15 total color energy.


Step 5
Come up with a percentage:
There are 6 Fire, 6 Fight and 3 Lightning. Divide each by the sum of 15.
6 Fire/15 = 40%
6 Fight/15 = 40%
3 Lightning/15 = 20%


Step 6
How many DCE should be in a deck? 
Find all attacks that can use a DCE. In this deck there is only 1 Pokémon that does (Scyther). 
As a MINIMUM, you should have 1 DCE for every Pokémon that could use a DCE for an attack. 
There are 3 Scythers so a minimum of 3 DCE should be in the deck.


Step 7
Remember our pick for the Total Energy we want to use? It was 26. Subtract the total DCE 
from that.
26 ­ 3 DCE = 23
23 is what is left for the color energy.


Step 8
Now multiply the percentages to the 23.
40% Fire x 23 = 9.2
40% Fight x 23 = 9.2
20% Lightning x 23 = 4.6
We now have our BASE ENERGY.


ENERGY (26)
3 DCE
9 Fire
9 Fight
5 Lightning


Step 9
Play test!!!
These are the BASE NUMBERS of Energy Cards you should have in this deck. By all 
means, this is not the end result. Remember, it is ONLY a base. You need to play test 
your deck and based on strategy, figure out what to add or subtract. At least you
 have a starting point. Instead of making a guess now you have an educated guess.


Here, it seems Electabuzz’s attack weighs more than Magmar’s Smog attack. So we want 
to get Electabuzz its fair share of energy to utilize that big 40 Thunder Punch attack. Adding
2 Lightning and dropping 2 Fire Energy would fit more in our strategy!!!



DECK TWO: 2 Color Evolution Deck
4 Electabuzz
4 Gastly (Fossil)
3 Haunter (Fossil)
2 Gengar
3 Slowpoke
2 Slowbro
3 Mr. Mime


Step 1
What is our total energy? We will use 22.


Step 2
How much COLOR energy would it cost to use each Pokémon’s biggest attack?
Electabuzz = 1 Lightning
Gastly (Fossil) = 2 Psychic
Haunter (Fossil) = 1 Psychic
Gengar = 3 Psychic
Slowpoke = 2 Psychic
Slowbro = 2 Psychic
3 Mr. Mime = 1 Psychic


Step 3
Multiply these numbers with the number of each of the Pokémon.
4 Electabuzz x 1 Lightning = 4
4 Gastly (Fossil) x 2 Psychic = 8
3 Haunter (Fossil) x 1 Psychic = 3
2 Gengar x 3 Psychic = 6
3 Slowpoke x 2 Psychic = 6
2 Slowbro x 2 Psychic = 4
3 Mr. Mime x 1 Psychic = 3


Step 4
Add each of the results to get:
4 Lightning + 30 Psychic = 34


Step 5
Come up with a percentage.
4 Lightning/34 = 12%
30 Psychic/34 = 88%


Step 6
How many DCE should be in a deck?
NONE


Step 7
Subtract the total DCE from the total we chose earlier (22).
22 ­ 0 = 22


Step 8
Now multiply the percentages to the 22.
12% x 22 Lightning = 3
88% x 22 Psychic = 19


We now have our BASE ENERGY.
ENERGY (22)
3 Lightning
19 Psychic


Step 9
Play test.


It looks like 3 Lightning just is not enough for this deck. Boosting it up to 8 and 
bringing the Psychic down to 14 feels better. Again, it is based on strategy. We are 
not going to depend too much on Gengar’s, Slowpoke’s or Slowbro’s attacks because 
the power lays behind Electabuzz and Mr. Mime! So it does make sense to tweak the 
energy count a bit.


If you are having a problem coming up with energy in your deck, try and use these 
calculations. If you need help, feel free to contact me!



Comments... Questions...
PokemonMechanic@yahoo.com


Have fun battling!