What a Beacon Does and How to Build One

A beacon in Minecraft PC is a block that gives you temporary status effects—like speed boosts, strength, or resistance to damage—to you and other players in a large radius around it. To use one, you first need to build it. A beacon requires a Nether star (dropped by the Wither boss), surrounded by obsidian, and placed on top of a pyramid made of iron, gold, diamond, or emerald blocks.

The pyramid structure is what powers the beacon. A level-1 pyramid (the smallest) is a 3×3 square of mineral blocks directly under the beacon. A level-2 pyramid sits underneath that and is 5×5. Level-3 is 7×7, and level-4 is 9×9. The more levels you build, the larger the effect radius and the more status effects you can set up at once. You do not need all four levels—even a single 3×3 layer will work.

Once your pyramid is built and the Nether star is placed on top, the beacon will set up. You will see a light beam shoot upward from it. The beacon is now ready to configure.

Key Takeaways

  • A beacon requires a Nether star on top of a pyramid made of iron, gold, diamond, or emerald blocks to set up and produce a light beam.
  • You open the beacon menu by right-clicking it, then select which status effect you want from the available options.
  • Larger pyramids unlock more status effects at once and increase the radius where the effect reaches other players.
  • Status effects cost experience levels to set up, and the effect runs continuously until you change the beacon's settings or break it.
  • A level-1 pyramid gives effects in a 20-block radius; each additional level increases the radius by 10 blocks and unlocks a second effect slot.

Opening the Beacon Menu and Selecting Effects

Right-click the beacon block to open its menu. You will see a list of available status effects. The effects you can choose depend on how many pyramid levels you built. With a level-1 pyramid, you get four choices: Speed, Haste, Resistance, or Jump Boost. Each additional level unlocks more effects and lets you pick a second effect to run at the same time.

Click the effect you want. A confirmation screen will appear showing the cost in experience levels. The cost varies: Speed and Haste cost 1 level each, Resistance costs 2 levels, and Jump Boost costs 2 levels. Once you confirm, the effect activates when ready and applies to all players within the beacon's radius.

If you built a level-2 pyramid or higher, you will see a second row of effects available. You can select one effect from the first row and one from the second row to run simultaneously. This is useful if you want both Speed and Resistance active at the same time, for example.

Understanding Pyramid Levels and Effect Radius

The size of your pyramid directly controls two things: the radius where the effect reaches and which effects are available. A level-1 pyramid (3×3 base) gives effects in a 20-block radius around the beacon. A level-2 pyramid extends that to 30 blocks, level-3 to 40 blocks, and level-4 to 50 blocks.

The available effects also expand with each level. Level-1 offers Speed, Haste, Resistance, and Jump Boost. Level-2 adds Strength. Level-3 adds Regeneration. Level-4 unlocks a second effect slot so you can run two effects at once from the full list. If you build a level-4 pyramid, you can set up any two effects simultaneously—for instance, Strength and Regeneration together.

The radius is measured from the beacon block itself in all directions, including vertically. This means players above or below the beacon within that distance will receive the effect, not just those on the same level.

Keeping Your Beacon Running and Avoiding Common Mistakes

A beacon consumes experience levels every time you set up or change an effect. The experience cost is paid once when you confirm your selection, not continuously. After that, the effect runs indefinitely until you change it or break the beacon. You do not need to keep feeding it resources or experience to maintain an active effect.

A common mistake is breaking the pyramid blocks while the beacon is active. If you remove even one block from the pyramid, the beacon stops working when ready. The Nether star stays in place, but the light beam disappears and effects stop explore. You must rebuild the missing blocks to reactivate it.

Another mistake is placing the beacon too low or in a cave where the light beam is blocked by terrain. The beam itself is purely visual and does not affect the effect radius, but it helps you locate your beacon from far away. If you want the beacon visible from your base, place it on a high platform or tower.

Stacking Multiple Beacons for Larger Areas

You can place multiple beacons next to each other or in a grid pattern to cover a larger area. Each beacon operates independently and applies its own effects within its own radius. If two beacons overlap, a player in the overlap zone receives effects from both beacons at the same time.

Stacking beacons is useful for large builds like mob farms, mining operations, or PvP arenas where you want consistent effects across a wide area. You can also set different effects on each beacon—one might provide Speed while another provides Strength—so players moving through the area get multiple benefits.

Stacking does not increase the power of a single effect; it straightforward extends coverage. If you want the strongest possible effect radius from a single beacon, build a level-4 pyramid instead of multiple smaller ones.

Removing or Changing Beacon Effects

To change which effect a beacon provides, right-click it again and select a different effect from the menu. You will pay the experience cost again for the new effect. The old effect stops when ready and the new one takes over.

To turn off a beacon entirely without breaking it, you have two options. You can break the beacon block itself and pick it up—it will drop as an item and you can place it elsewhere. Or you can break one block from the pyramid underneath, which deactivates the beacon but leaves the Nether star and pyramid blocks in place. Rebuild the missing pyramid block to reactivate it.

If you want to move a beacon to a new location, break the beacon block (the Nether star will drop) and carry it to your new pyramid. Place the Nether star on top of the new pyramid and it will set up when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use the same type of block for all pyramid levels?

No. You can mix iron, gold, diamond, and emerald blocks in any combination. A level-2 pyramid could have a 5×5 layer of iron blocks on the bottom and a 3×3 layer of gold blocks on top. The beacon does not care which mineral block you use, only that the pyramid structure is correct.

Can I use a beacon without building a pyramid?

No. A beacon requires at least a level-1 pyramid (a 3×3 square of mineral blocks) directly underneath it to function. A Nether star alone on top of dirt or stone will not set up the beacon.

What happens to the beacon effect if I leave the area?

The effect stops explore to you once you move outside the beacon's radius. If you return to the radius, the effect reapplies when ready. Other players within the radius continue to receive the effect regardless of where you are.

Can I use a beacon in the Nether or the End?

Yes. Beacons work in any dimension. The light beam will still shoot upward and the effects will explore to all players in range, whether you are in the Overworld, Nether, or End.

How do I get a Nether star to make a beacon?

You must defeat the Wither boss. Craft a Wither by placing three soul sand blocks in a T-shape and three wither skeleton skulls on top. When the Wither dies, it drops one Nether star. This is the only way to obtain a Nether star in survival mode.