A beacon needs three things: a nether star, three obsidian, and five glass blocks to craft, then a pyramid of mineral blocks underneath it to power up. The nether star is the hard part, since it only drops from the Wither, a boss you have to summon yourself. Once the beacon sits on a big enough pyramid with a clear view of the sky, you can feed it a mineral and pick a status effect for everyone standing nearby.
What you need
- 1 nether star, dropped only by the Wither
- 3 obsidian and 5 glass blocks, for the beacon block itself
- 9 to 164 mineral blocks for the pyramid: iron, gold, emerald, diamond, or netherite, in any mix
- 1 iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond, or netherite ingot to spend when you pick an effect
Get a nether star from the Wither
The nether star only comes from one source: the Wither, a boss you summon yourself rather than one you find wandering around. Every Wither you defeat drops exactly one, guaranteed, so a single successful fight is all you need.
- 1.Place 4 blocks of soul sand or soul soil in a T shape, leaving air on both outer edges of the base row.
- 2.Set 3 wither skeleton skulls on top of the three raised blocks. Wither skeleton skulls are a rare drop from wither skeletons in a Nether fortress, not from regular skeletons.
- 3.Place the last skull last. That placement is what triggers the Wither to spawn.
Craft the beacon block
Open a crafting table and place glass across the entire top row and the two outer slots of the middle row (5 glass blocks total), the nether star in the center of the middle row, and obsidian across the entire bottom row (3 blocks). That produces one beacon block.
Build the pyramid and place the beacon
The beacon needs an unobstructed view of the sky and a pyramid of mineral blocks underneath it. Iron, gold, emerald, diamond, and netherite blocks all work, and the choice is purely cosmetic. You can mix block types freely; the pyramid's power depends only on how many layers it has, never on which minerals you used.
- Tier 1: a single 3x3 layer, 9 blocks total.
- Tier 2: add a 5x5 layer below that, 34 blocks total.
- Tier 3: add a 7x7 layer below that, 83 blocks total.
- Tier 4: add a 9x9 layer below that, 164 blocks total.
How pyramid tier changes range and effects
Bigger pyramids reach further and last longer. In Java Edition, a tier 1 pyramid gives a 20-block effect radius for 11 seconds, tier 2 gives 30 blocks for 13 seconds, tier 3 gives 40 blocks for 15 seconds, and tier 4 gives 50 blocks for 17 seconds. Bedrock Edition runs on the same tiers, though the two editions don't always agree on the fine print: its effect radius is not perfectly symmetrical, reaching one block further north and west than south and east, and a tier 4 pyramid's effect lasts 16 seconds there instead of 17.
- Tier 1 unlocks Speed or Haste as your primary effect.
- Tier 2 adds Resistance or Jump Boost to that list.
- Tier 3 adds Strength.
- Tier 4 adds a Regeneration secondary effect, and lets you upgrade your primary effect to level II instead.
Choose and activate an effect
Once the beacon is running, right-click it to open its menu. Drop in one iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond, or netherite ingot (again, the choice is cosmetic), then pick a primary effect from the list your pyramid tier has unlocked. On a full tier 4 pyramid you can also turn on Regeneration as a secondary effect, or push your primary effect to level II instead. Confirm the choice and the item is consumed; everyone standing in range gets the effect for as long as the beacon keeps running.
Change the beam color
Stack stained glass or stained glass panes anywhere above the beacon block and the beam takes on that color. Add more than one color and the beam blends them, so a column of different panes can build a shade none of them have on their own.
Frequently asked questions
What effects does a beacon give?
A beacon offers five primary effects: Speed, Haste, Resistance, Jump Boost, and Strength. Which ones you can pick depends on your pyramid's tier. Resistance and Jump Boost need a tier 2 pyramid, and Strength needs tier 3. A full tier 4 pyramid also unlocks Regeneration as a secondary effect, or lets you push your chosen primary effect to level II instead.
Does a bigger pyramid mean a bigger effect range?
Yes. Effect range in Java Edition runs from 20 blocks on a tier 1 pyramid up to 50 blocks on a full tier 4 pyramid, and duration climbs from 11 to 17 seconds along with it. A smaller pyramid still works fine for a base or a shared build; you only need tier 4 for the widest coverage and the level II upgrade.
What mob drops a nether star?
Only the Wither. It's a boss you summon yourself from 4 soul sand or soul soil blocks and 3 wither skeleton skulls, not a mob you find wandering around. Every Wither you defeat drops exactly one nether star, so you never need to fight more than one.