Beacon: crafting, pyramid and effects in Minecraft
The beacon is one of the most powerful blocks in Minecraft. Placed on a pyramid of mineral blocks, it fires a beam of light into the sky and gives players in range strong status effects, from faster mining to health regeneration. A full pyramid is an endgame project: you have to beat the Wither and gather 164 blocks of valuable minerals.
Crafting recipe
You craft a beacon at a crafting table:
- Row 1: glass - glass - glass
- Row 2: glass - Nether Star - glass
- Row 3: obsidian - obsidian - obsidian
Ingredients: 5 glass, 3 obsidian and 1 Nether Star. Glass and obsidian are easy to get. The bottleneck is the Nether Star, which drops only from the Wither.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Hardness | 3 |
| Tool | Any |
| Stack size | 64 |
| Light source | Level 15 (maximum) |
How to get a Nether Star
A Nether Star drops only from the Wither, a boss you have to summon yourself. To summon the Wither you need:
- 4 blocks of soul sand (or soul soil), arranged in a T shape
- 3 wither skeleton skulls, placed on top of the upper row of soul sand
Wither skeleton skulls are the rarest ingredient. Wither skeletons spawn in Nether fortresses and have a 2.5% chance to drop a skull, which Looting increases. Plan a farm in the fortress or be ready to grind for a while.
The Wither itself is a tough boss: it explodes when summoned, flies and shoots skulls that inflict the Wither effect. Fight it in the Nether under the bedrock ceiling or in a closed obsidian arena. The Nether Star always drops and can't be destroyed by an explosion.
Building the pyramid
A beacon works only on a pyramid of mineral blocks. Accepted materials: blocks of iron, gold, diamond, emerald or netherite. You can mix materials, so the pyramid doesn't have to be made of a single resource.
Pyramid structure
| Level | Layer sizes | Blocks per layer | Total blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3x3 | 9 | 9 |
| 2 | 3x3 + 5x5 | 9 + 25 | 34 |
| 3 | 3x3 + 5x5 + 7x7 | 9 + 25 + 49 | 83 |
| 4 (full) | 3x3 + 5x5 + 7x7 + 9x9 | 9 + 25 + 49 + 81 | 164 |
The beacon sits on top, in the middle of the 3x3 layer. Nothing opaque may be above the beacon all the way up to the height limit. The beam needs a clear path upward.
Beacon effects
Once the beacon is on a pyramid, open its interface (right-click). Pick a primary effect and, optionally, a secondary effect. Activating it requires a "payment" of one iron ingot, gold ingot, diamond, emerald or netherite ingot.
| Pyramid level | Available primary effects | Secondary effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speed I, Haste I | None |
| 2 | + Resistance I, Jump Boost I | None |
| 3 | + Strength I | None |
| 4 (full) | All of the above | Regeneration I or an upgrade of the primary effect to II |
On a full pyramid (level 4) you can pick one primary effect at level II, or one primary effect at level I plus Regeneration I. Regeneration is available only as a secondary effect on a full pyramid.
Effects refresh every 4 seconds while the player is in range. After you leave the range, the effect lingers for a few more seconds, depending on the pyramid level (see the table below).
Range at each level
| Level | Range (blocks) | Duration after leaving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 11 seconds |
| 2 | 30 | 13 seconds |
| 3 | 40 | 15 seconds |
| 4 | 50 | 17 seconds |
The range extends from the beacon in every horizontal direction, so a beacon on a full pyramid covers an area of 100x100 blocks. In practice, a single beacon with Haste II covers a good-sized mine.
Cost of a full pyramid
A full pyramid (level 4) needs 164 mineral blocks. Each block takes 9 ingots, diamonds or emeralds, so:
| Material | Blocks | Total raw material |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 164 | 1,476 ingots |
| Gold | 164 | 1,476 ingots |
| Diamond | 164 | 1,476 diamonds |
| Emerald | 164 | 1,476 emeralds |
| Netherite | 164 | 1,476 ingots |
Iron is by far the cheapest option: an iron golem farm produces hundreds of ingots per hour. Mixing materials works too, for example iron for the lower layers and diamond for the upper ones. The materials you use don't change the effects.
Tips and tricks
- Several beacons on one pyramid - beacons can share the pyramid beneath them, and each one can have a different effect. This saves materials.
- Beacon in the Nether - works normally. The beam passes through the bedrock ceiling. Haste II in an ancient debris mine saves a huge amount of time.
- Colored beam - place stained glass above the beacon to change the color of the beam. Several layers of different colors blend the hues.
- Beacon as a landmark - the beam is visible from a huge distance. Ideal as a lighthouse or a signpost to your base.
- Protecting the beacon - explosions can still destroy the pyramid beneath it. Surround the pyramid with obsidian if you play on a PvP server.