The Ultimate 4-Step Guide To Activating A Minecraft Beacon And Unlocking ALL 7 God-Tier Buffs

The Minecraft Beacon is arguably the most powerful utility block in the game, a late-game reward that transforms your base of operations into a continuously buffed powerhouse. As of the latest versions, including the *Minecraft 1.20 Update*, the core mechanic remains the same: a beacon must be placed atop a massive, tiered pyramid constructed from precious mineral blocks to function and project its light beam. This comprehensive guide, updated for 2025, will detail the exact steps, materials, and pyramid dimensions you need to build the *full* Tier 4 beacon, unlocking all seven potent status effects and maximizing your gameplay efficiency.

Activating a beacon is not a simple task; it requires defeating one of the game's toughest bosses and investing hundreds of rare resources. However, the resulting permanent buffs—like Speed II, Haste II, and Regeneration I—make the effort worthwhile, providing a massive advantage for mining, building, and combat across your survival world.

The Beacon Blueprint: Crafting, Materials, and Full Pyramid Dimensions

Before you can activate the beacon, you must first craft the block itself and gather the massive quantity of resources needed for its base. This is a true late-game project, demanding a significant investment in time and mining.

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1. Crafting the Beacon Block

The Beacon block is crafted using three essential components, one of which is exceptionally rare and requires a difficult boss fight.

• 1 Nether Star: This is the most challenging component. The Nether Star is a guaranteed drop from defeating the Wither, a powerful, three-headed mob summoned in the Nether or the Overworld.
• 3 Obsidian Blocks: These are easily obtained by mining lava sources with a Diamond Pickaxe.
• 5 Glass Blocks: Made by smelting sand in a furnace.

The recipe is arranged on the crafting table with the Nether Star in the center, Obsidian blocks along the bottom row, and Glass blocks filling the rest of the spaces.

2. Choosing Your Pyramid Materials

The pyramid base that powers the beacon must be constructed entirely of full blocks made from specific precious minerals. You can mix and match these blocks across the different tiers of the pyramid, offering some flexibility based on what you have the most of.

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• Iron Blocks (requires 9 Iron Ingots per block)
• Gold Blocks (requires 9 Gold Ingots per block)
• Diamond Blocks (requires 9 Diamonds per block)
• Emerald Blocks (requires 9 Emeralds per block)
• Netherite Blocks (requires 9 Netherite Ingots per block)

3. Understanding the 4-Tier Pyramid Structure (The Full Power Build)

To unlock the beacon's maximum potential, you must build a four-level pyramid. The structure is a series of centered, decreasing squares, with the beacon placed on the very top block.

• Tier 1 Base (Bottom Layer): A 9x9 square. (Total Blocks: 81)
• Tier 2 Layer: A 7x7 square, centered on the 9x9 base. (Total Blocks: 49)
• Tier 3 Layer: A 5x5 square, centered on the 7x7 layer. (Total Blocks: 25)
• Tier 4 Layer (Top Layer): A 3x3 square, centered on the 5x5 layer. (Total Blocks: 9)

Total Blocks Required for a Full (Tier 4) Beacon: 81 + 49 + 25 + 9 = 164 Blocks.

For perspective, building a full pyramid entirely out of Iron Blocks requires 164 blocks, which is equivalent to 1,476 Iron Ingots. This is why the beacon is considered the ultimate late-game flex.

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Step-by-Step Activation: How to Make the Beacon Work

Once you have constructed the pyramid and crafted the beacon block, the activation process is straightforward. The beacon must be placed directly in the center of the 3x3 top layer, and it must have a clear view of the sky (no solid blocks directly above it).

Step 1: Place the Beacon Block

Place the crafted Beacon Block directly onto the center block of the 3x3 top layer of your pyramid. If the structure is correct and the path to the sky is clear, a bright, vertical beam of light will shoot upward, signaling that the beacon is now powered.

Step 2: Access the Beacon Interface

Right-click (or use the appropriate interaction button for your platform, such as *Bedrock Edition* or *Java Edition*) on the beacon block to open its interface. This menu is where you select the status effects you want to apply to nearby players.

Step 3: Select Your Primary and Secondary Powers

The interface will show a grid of available status effects. The number of effects you can choose from depends on the size (Tier) of your pyramid. A full 4-tier pyramid unlocks all options.

• Primary Power (Tier 1-4): Select one of the five available primary effects: Speed, Haste, Resistance, Jump Boost, or Strength.
• Secondary Power (Tier 4 Only): With a full 4-tier pyramid, you get an additional slot. Here, you can select either Regeneration I or a Level II version of your chosen Primary Power (e.g., Speed II).

Step 4: Fuel the Beacon with an Ingot or Gem

To finalize the selection and activate the chosen effect, you must insert one single item into the dedicated slot at the bottom of the interface. This item acts as the fuel or payment for the power.

• Acceptable Fuel Items: Iron Ingot, Gold Ingot, Diamond, Emerald, or Netherite Ingot.

Once the item is inserted, the effect is applied to all players within the beacon's radius, and the beam will pulse with the power's color. The effect is permanent as long as the beacon remains powered and the player is within range.

The 7 Potent Status Effects Unlocked by a Full Beacon

The greatest advantage of building a full, 4-tier pyramid is the ability to choose a primary effect and a secondary effect, allowing you to stack two powerful buffs simultaneously. The range of the effects is also maximized, covering a substantial area around your base.

Primary Effects (Level I or II)

You can choose one of these effects at Level I from a Tier 1-3 pyramid, or at Level II from a Tier 4 pyramid as a secondary power.

• Speed: Increases your movement speed, making travel and exploration much faster.
• Haste: Increases your mining and attack speed, dramatically improving efficiency in quarries and combat.
• Resistance: Decreases nearly all incoming damage, a crucial defensive buff for any activity.
• Jump Boost: Increases your jump height, allowing you to jump over more blocks and navigate terrain more easily.
• Strength: Increases your melee attack damage, making quick work of hostile mobs.

Secondary Effect (Exclusive to Tier 4)

The final, 4-tier pyramid allows you to select a secondary effect, which is either Regeneration I or a Level II version of your primary effect.

• Regeneration I: Provides slow, continuous health restoration, making it an invaluable survival tool.
• Level II Buff: Choosing this option upgrades your selected primary power to Level II (e.g., Haste II), providing a significantly stronger boost than the base Level I effect. This is the ultimate choice for maximizing a single utility, such as the incredible speed of Haste II for mining.

The beacon's range increases with each level, starting at a 20-block radius for a Tier 1 pyramid and extending much further for a full Tier 4 build, ensuring the buffs cover your entire building or mining area.