diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index caaa387..ba5009d 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ keywords = ["gamedev"]
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
+radix_fmt = "1.0.0"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 9d8e143..177f5e4 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use radix_fmt::radix_36;
+
 pub mod avatar;
 pub mod colour;
 pub mod dialogue;
@@ -62,3 +64,23 @@ impl AnimationFrames for Vec<Image> {
         string
     }
 }
+
+fn from_base36(str: &str) -> u64 {
+    u64::from_str_radix(str, 36).unwrap()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_from_base36() {
+    assert_eq!(from_base36("0"), 0);
+    assert_eq!(from_base36("0z"), 35);
+    assert_eq!(from_base36("11"), 37);
+}
+
+fn to_base36(input: u64) -> String {
+    format!("{}", radix_36(input))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_to_base36() {
+    assert_eq!(to_base36(37), "11");
+}
diff --git a/src/mock.rs b/src/mock.rs
index ed589a0..b5928cb 100644
--- a/src/mock.rs
+++ b/src/mock.rs
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ pub fn game_default() -> Game {
         room_format: 1,
         palettes: vec![
             Palette {
-                id: "0".to_string(),
+                id: 0,
                 name: None,
                 colours: vec![
                     Colour {red: 0,   green: 82,  blue: 204 },
diff --git a/src/palette.rs b/src/palette.rs
index 1fbf9f4..0795be9 100644
--- a/src/palette.rs
+++ b/src/palette.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 use crate::colour::Colour;
+use crate::{from_base36, to_base36};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Palette {
-    pub id: String, // base36 string (why??)
+    pub id: u64,
     pub name: Option<String>,
     pub colours: Vec<Colour>,
 }
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ impl From<String> for Palette {
     fn from(string: String) -> Palette {
         let lines: Vec<&str> = string.lines().collect();
 
-        let id = lines[0].replace("PAL ", "");
+        let id = from_base36(&lines[0].replace("PAL ", ""));
 
         let name = match lines[1].starts_with("NAME") {
             true => Some(lines[1].replace("NAME ", "").to_string()),
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ impl ToString for Palette {
         }
         colours.pop();
 
-        format!("PAL {}\n{}{}", self.id, name, colours)
+        format!("PAL {}\n{}{}", to_base36(self.id), name, colours)
     }
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ fn test_palette_from_string() {
     );
 
     let expected = Palette {
-        id: "1".to_string(),
+        id: 1,
         name: Some("lamplight".to_string()),
         colours: vec![
             Colour {red: 45,  green: 45, blue: 59},
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ fn test_palette_from_string_no_name() {
     );
 
     let expected = Palette {
-        id: "9".to_string(),
+        id: 9,
         name: None,
         colours: vec![
             Colour {red: 45,  green: 45, blue: 59},
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ fn test_palette_from_string_no_name() {
 #[test]
 fn test_palette_to_string() {
     let output = Palette {
-        id: "g".to_string(),
+        id: 16,
         name: Some("moss".to_string()),
         colours: vec![
             Colour {red: 1,   green: 2,   blue: 3  },