How to Make and Activate a Beacon: Recipe, Pyramid Sizes
A beacon is a nether star, 3 obsidian and 5 glass. How to activate a beacon on a 1 to 4 level pyramid of mineral blocks, and which powers suit your base.
To make a beacon, put 5 glass across the top and middle rows, a nether star in the center, and 3 obsidian along the bottom row of a crafting table. To make it do anything, place it on top of a pyramid of mineral blocks (iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite), make sure it can see the sky, then open it, choose a power and pay with one iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond or netherite ingot.
Getting the materials
- Nether star. The hard part. It drops only from the Wither, a boss you summon yourself with soul sand and three wither skeleton skulls. How to summon the Wither covers the fight. Fight it underground or in a sealed arena; it destroys most blocks around it.
- Obsidian. Pour water onto lava source blocks, then mine it with a diamond pickaxe. See how to get obsidian.
- Glass. Smelt sand in a furnace.
Building the pyramid
The beacon sits on top of a stepped pyramid. Each complete layer adds a level:
| Level | Layer under the beacon | Blocks needed (total) | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3×3 | 9 | 20 blocks |
| 2 | 5×5 | 34 | 30 blocks |
| 3 | 7×7 | 83 | 40 blocks |
| 4 | 9×9 | 164 | 50 blocks |
You can mix block types freely; a pyramid of mostly iron with a gold layer works just as well as a pure diamond one. Since iron is by far the easiest to get in bulk, most beacons are iron. The full 164-block pyramid needs 1,476 ingots, which is exactly what an iron farm is for.
Each layer must be complete. If one block is missing, that level doesn’t count.
Choosing powers
Open the beacon and pick a primary power, then pay with one item in the slot at the bottom.
- Level 1 pyramid: Speed or Haste.
- Level 2: adds Resistance and Jump Boost.
- Level 3: adds Strength.
- Level 4: unlocks a secondary power. Pick Regeneration, or choose your primary again to upgrade it to level II.
Which to pick:
- Mining or building base: Haste II. With an Efficiency V diamond or netherite pickaxe, stone breaks almost instantly.
- General base: Speed II for getting around, or Regeneration for safety.
- Combat or mob farm: Strength or Resistance.
The effect refreshes every few seconds while you’re in range, so it lasts as long as you stay nearby.
Keeping the beam on
The beacon needs a clear view of the sky. Any solid block above it, at any height, switches it off. Glass and stained glass don’t block it. Stained glass also tints the beam, which is a nice way to color-code beacons you can see from far away.
Many players put beacons in a central spot where they mine, build and farm, so one beacon covers all of it. If you have more than one, you can stack the pyramids side by side to share blocks.
Common questions
What's the cheapest beacon pyramid?
Iron blocks. A full four-level pyramid needs 164 blocks, which is 1,476 iron ingots, and an iron farm makes that realistic. Any mix of iron, gold, emerald, diamond and netherite blocks works the same.
Why is my beacon not working?
Either the pyramid is incomplete, something blocks the beam above it, or you haven't paid. Clear every block between the beacon and the sky (glass is fine), check each layer is complete, then open the beacon, pick a power and put in an ingot, emerald or diamond.
How far does a beacon reach?
20 blocks with a one-level pyramid, then 30, 40 and 50 blocks for levels 2, 3 and 4.
Can I change the beacon's power later?
Yes. Open it, choose a new power and pay again with one iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond or netherite ingot.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
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