Minecraft is a game full of opportunities, exploration, and adventure. From mining resources to battling bosses, there are countless ways to enjoy the game. One of the most sought-after items for enhancing your gameplay is the Beacon. The Beacon offers incredible benefits by boosting your abilities and improving the game’s overall experience. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into how to obtain, use, and power up your Beacon in Minecraft. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, you’ll find useful tips to help you make the most out of your Beacon.

What Is a Beacon in Minecraft?

A Beacon in Minecraft is a block that provides players with powerful status effects. These effects can improve mining speed, enhance health regeneration, and boost combat abilities. The Beacon serves not only as a powerful tool but also as a decorative item. Players can create stunning structures by placing Beacons at the center of pyramids made of specific materials.

The Beacon offers several key advantages:

• Status Effects: It grants players powers like Speed, Strength, Haste, and more.
• Boosts: The Beacon’s powers can enhance resource gathering, mobility, and combat.
• Visual Appeal: The Beacon can serve as a beautiful centerpiece for your Minecraft builds.

In the next sections, we’ll explore how to obtain and craft the Beacon and set it up to unlock its powers.

How to Obtain a Beacon in Minecraft

To craft a Beacon, you need to gather some essential materials. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what you need to do to obtain a Beacon in Minecraft.

1. Gather the Materials for a Beacon

To craft a Beacon, you will need the following items:

• Glass (5 blocks)
• Obsidian (3 blocks)
• Nether Star (1)

Glass

Glass is easy to make. Simply smelt sand in a furnace. You’ll need five blocks to form the frame of the Beacon.

Obsidian

Obsidian is a tough material obtained when water touches lava. It requires a diamond pickaxe to mine. You need three blocks of Obsidian to craft the Beacon.

Nether Star

The Nether Star is the most challenging ingredient to get. It drops from the Wither boss after defeating it. The Wither is a formidable opponent, but once you defeat it, you’ll have your Nether Star.

2. Defeat the Wither to Obtain the Nether Star

Defeating the Wither is no small task, but it is necessary to obtain the Nether Star. Here’s how to do it:

• Collect Wither Skeleton Skulls: These are dropped by Wither Skeletons in Nether fortresses. You need three skulls to summon the Wither.

• Gather Soul Sand or Soul Soil: Soul Sand or Soul Soil can be found in the Nether. You’ll need four blocks of either material to summon the Wither.

How to Summon the Wither

1. Arrange the Soul Sand/Soul Soil in a “T” shape on the ground.
2. Place the Wither Skeleton Skulls on the top three blocks of the “T.”
3. The Wither will begin to charge, and after a short time, it will explode, and the battle will begin.

How to Defeat the Wither

• Preparation: Equip yourself with strong armor (Diamond or Netherite) and weapons (enchanted sword or bow).
• Strategy: Fight in a controlled environment like a cave. The Wither will fly and shoot explosive skulls at you, so keep your distance and attack with ranged weapons.
• Final Step: Once you defeat the Wither, it will drop the Nether Star, which you need to craft your Beacon.

3. Craft the Beacon

Now that you have the Nether Star, it’s time to craft your Beacon. Open your Crafting Table and place the following materials in the correct pattern:

• Place glass in the U-shape around the crafting grid.
• Place the Nether Star in the center.
• Place obsidian along the bottom row of the crafting grid.

Once the materials are in place, you can craft your Beacon and add it to your inventory.

How to Power Up a Beacon in Minecraft

Crafting a Beacon is only the first step. To make the most of the Beacon in Minecraft, you need to power it up. Here’s how to do it.

1. Build a Pyramid Base for the Beacon

To activate the Beacon’s powers, you need to build a pyramid base out of specific materials. The pyramid can have up to four layers, each providing a stronger effect.

• Materials for the Pyramid: You can use iron, gold, emerald, diamond, or netherite blocks to build the pyramid. Each block type has the same power, so you can use any of them.

Size of the Pyramid

The pyramid must be at least one layer deep to work. However, for maximum power, you can build a pyramid with up to four layers. Each layer increases the range and effectiveness of the Beacon’s powers.

• One Layer: A single layer pyramid with the Beacon at the top gives you a limited range of powers.
• Two Layers: A two-layer pyramid unlocks additional powers, including a wider range.
• Three Layers: A three-layer pyramid gives access to the full set of Beacon powers.
• Four Layers: This is the largest pyramid, offering the most powerful effects and the greatest range.

2. Activate the Beacon and Select Your Power

Once the pyramid is built, place the Beacon on top of it. Right-click on the Beacon, and you’ll be able to choose your power. You can choose from the following:

• Speed: Increases your movement speed.
• Haste: Increases your mining speed.
• Strength: Boosts your attack damage.
• Resistance: Reduces damage taken from attacks.
• Jump Boost: Increases the height of your jumps.
• Regeneration: Gradually restores health.

Each power can be upgraded with a higher pyramid layer. With a full four-layer pyramid, you can choose one of the powers and even upgrade it.

How to Use a Beacon for Maximum Effect

Now that your Beacon in Minecraft is activated, it’s time to take full advantage of it. Here’s how to use your Beacon most effectively.

1. Choose the Right Power for Your Needs

Selecting the right power depends on your gameplay style. Here’s a guide:

• Speed: Ideal for exploration and travel. Boosts your movement speed, which is perfect for long-distance exploration.
• Haste: Perfect for miners. It speeds up mining, especially when working with blocks like ores or stone.
• Strength: Best for combat. It significantly increases your attack damage, making it useful when fighting mobs or other players.
• Resistance: Great for survivability. It reduces incoming damage, especially from mobs and environmental hazards.
• Jump Boost: This power is fun and practical for parkour or jumping over obstacles.
• Regeneration: Helps with healing, useful for survival in dangerous areas or after taking damage.

2. Use Beacons in Multiplayer Servers

In multiplayer Minecraft, Beacons are not only useful for individual players but also for groups. Place Beacons in communal areas to benefit all players, enhancing teamwork and gameplay.

• Shared Powers: Beacons can help boost collective gameplay, especially when multiple players are working together in a large base or project.
• Base Defense: Use Beacons to power up defensive areas of your base, such as healing and resistance, which will give you an edge when protecting against enemies.

3. Enhance Large-Scale Projects

If you’re working on a large Minecraft project, a Beacon is incredibly helpful. The effects of Speed, Haste, and Strength can speed up construction and resource gathering, making big builds less time-consuming.

Troubleshooting Common Beacon Issues

While Beacons are powerful, sometimes they don’t work as expected. Here are some common issues and how to solve them.

1. Beacon Isn’t Powered

Ensure your pyramid is correctly built. The Beacon needs a pyramid with at least one layer, and the blocks must be of a valid material (iron, gold, emerald, diamond, or netherite).

2. Limited Range of Effects

To increase the range of the Beacon’s effects, you need to build a larger pyramid. Each additional layer increases the area the Beacon can affect.

3. Not Enough Materials

Crafting a full Beacon pyramid requires a lot of resources. Be sure to gather enough materials, especially when using high-value resources like diamonds or netherite.

Creative Uses for Beacons in Minecraft

While Beacons are mainly used for their powers, they can also be used creatively in your builds.

1. Beacon as a Decoration

Place Beacons in the center of your bases or decorative builds. Their vibrant light adds an aesthetic glow that can enhance any Minecraft world.

2. Creative Beacon Designs

Some players build intricate and visually appealing Beacon designs. These can range from giant pyramids to mini Beacons integrated into other builds, showing off creativity.

Conclusion

The Beacon in Minecraft is a game-changing block that enhances your abilities and adds depth to your gameplay. From the challenge of defeating the Wither to crafting a Beacon and building a pyramid, the process is rewarding and fun. By selecting the right power and using the Beacon effectively, you can improve your mining, combat, and exploration skills. Whether you’re playing solo or with others, the Beacon is an invaluable tool that can help you conquer Minecraft’s toughest challenges.

Start crafting