A beacon is a powerful block that, when properly activated, provides beneficial status effects to players within a certain radius, making it an invaluable tool for exploration, mining, and base management.
To effectively use a beacon, you must first construct a pyramid beneath it and then activate its interface to select desired power-ups.
1. Activating a Beacon: The Pyramid Foundation
A beacon will only activate when placed on a pyramid built from specific valuable resource blocks. This pyramid serves as the power source for the beacon.
Required Blocks for Pyramid Construction:
You can use any combination of the following blocks to build your pyramid:
- Iron Blocks
- Gold Blocks
- Emerald Blocks
- Diamond Blocks
- Netherite Blocks
You'll need a significant quantity of these resources, as the size of the pyramid determines the beacon's power and range. You can use just one type of resource or mix them together to construct the pyramid.
Pyramid Tiers and Sizes:
The pyramid can have up to four tiers, each requiring more blocks but increasing the beacon's effectiveness and range.
| Tier Level | Pyramid Base Size | Blocks Needed for Tier | Total Blocks for Pyramid | Max Effect Range (Blocks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3x3 | 9 | 9 | 20 |
| 2 | 5x5 | 16 | 25 | 30 |
| 3 | 7x7 | 28 | 53 | 40 |
| 4 | 9x9 | 48 | 101 | 50 |
- Construction Steps:
- Start by building the largest base layer (e.g., a 9x9 square for a four-tier pyramid).
- Center the next smaller layer on top of the previous one (e.g., a 7x7 square on the 9x9).
- Continue this process until the top layer is a 3x3 square.
- Finally, place the beacon block precisely in the center of the 3x3 top layer. A beam of light will shoot into the sky, indicating successful activation.
2. Selecting Beacon Effects
Once activated, interact with the beacon to open its interface. Here, you can choose the beneficial effects you want it to provide.
Available Primary Status Effects:
- Speed: Increases movement speed.
- Haste: Increases mining and attack speed.
- Jump Boost: Increases jump height.
- Regeneration: Slowly restores health.
- Resistance: Reduces all incoming damage.
- Strength: Increases melee attack damage.
The number of tiers in your pyramid determines which effects are available and if you can select a secondary effect.
How to Choose Effects:
- Select a Primary Effect: In the beacon interface, choose one primary effect from the available options. The options increase with pyramid size.
- Select a Secondary Effect (Tier 4 Pyramids Only): If you have a full four-tier pyramid, you can also select a secondary effect. This can either be an enhanced version of your primary effect (Level II) or Regeneration.
- Fuel the Beacon: To apply your chosen effects, you must 'fuel' the beacon by placing a single iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond, or netherite ingot into the designated slot within the beacon's interface. This acts as payment and activates the chosen effects.
3. Practical Applications and Tips
Beacons offer significant advantages for various in-game activities:
- Mining Expeditions: Using a Haste beacon can drastically speed up resource gathering, especially when digging through large areas. Combined with Speed, it's excellent for efficient tunnel boring.
- Base Defense and Combat: Resistance and Strength beacons provide a crucial advantage in fighting hostile mobs or during PvP encounters. Regeneration can help sustain health during extended battles.
- Exploration: Speed and Jump Boost can make traversing terrain much faster and easier, allowing for quicker discovery of new areas.
- Large-Scale Building Projects: Haste is incredibly useful for clearing large areas or quickly placing blocks, enhancing construction efficiency.
- Visibility: The beam of light shooting from the beacon makes it an excellent landmark, visible from afar, helping you find your way back to your base.
Understanding the pyramid structure and the valuable resources required is key to harnessing the full power of a beacon.
