Level 4 is a full beacon: 9x9 + 7x7 + 5x5 + 3x3 layers with the beacon on top.
Mixing is allowed: any combination of these five blocks works in one pyramid. Netherite blocks count from 1.16 onward. The material never changes range or effects, only the price.
Speed ILvl 1
Haste ILvl 1
Resistance ILvl 2
Jump Boost ILvl 2
Strength ILvl 3
Regeneration I (secondary)Lvl 4At level 4 you pick ONE secondary power: Regeneration I, or raising your chosen primary effect to level II.
Mineral blocks1649x9 + 7x7 + 5x5 + 3x3 (2 stacks + 36)
Iron Ingots1,476164 blocks x 9 (23 stacks + 4)Also needed: the beacon itself (5 glass + 3 obsidian + 1 nether star) and 1 ingot or gem to select a power. The beam needs open sky above it; glass, water and other light-passing blocks are fine.
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Run the commands in order while standing (or hovering) at the pyramid's center. They are relative to you: the base fills at your feet and the beacon lands on top.
How Many Blocks for a Full Beacon?
A full level 4 beacon pyramid needs 164 mineral blocks: a 9x9 base of 81, then 7x7 (49), 5x5 (25) and 3x3 (9) layers, with the beacon on top. Crafting those blocks takes 1,476 ingots or gems, because every block is made from 9. In stack terms that is 2 stacks + 36 blocks, or 23 stacks + 4 ingots.
Each pyramid level adds one square layer under the last: 3x3, 5x5, 7x7, 9x9. Because iron, gold, emerald, diamond and netherite blocks all count equally, the only question is price. One iron ingot smelts from one raw iron, and one ore drops one diamond or emerald, so the ingot-or-gem column below is also the raw ore count without Fortune. For netherite, every ingot costs 4 ancient debris plus 4 gold ingots, which is why a full netherite beacon needs 5,904 ancient debris.
| Pyramid | Layer added | Total blocks | Ingots or gems (x9) | If netherite: ancient debris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | + 3x3 (9) | 9 (9 items) | 81 (1 stack + 17) | 324 |
| Level 2 | + 5x5 (25) | 34 (34 items) | 306 (4 stacks + 50) | 1,224 |
| Level 3 | + 7x7 (49) | 83 (1 stack + 19) | 747 (11 stacks + 43) | 2,988 |
| Level 4 | + 9x9 (81) | 164 (2 stacks + 36) | 1,476 (23 stacks + 4) | 5,904 |
| 6 beacons, level 4 | shared layers | 244 (3 stacks + 52) | 2,196 (34 stacks + 20) | 8,784 |
On top of the pyramid you need the beacon block itself, crafted from 5 glass, 3 obsidian and 1 nether star (dropped by the wither), plus a single ingot or gem fed into the beacon's interface to select a power.
Beacon Effects, Range and Duration by Level
Every pyramid level widens the area of effect and unlocks more powers. The range reaches downward and out to each side by the listed amount, and upward it adds the dimension's height limit on top of that, so a beacon at ground level effectively covers everything above it. The effect duration is 9 seconds plus 2 seconds per level, re-applied every 4 seconds while you stay in range.
| Level | Range | Duration | Effects unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 blocks | 11 s | Speed I, Haste I |
| 2 | 30 blocks | 13 s | + Resistance I, Jump Boost I |
| 3 | 40 blocks | 15 s | + Strength I |
| 4 | 50 blocks | 17 s | + secondary: Regeneration I or primary at level II |
At level 4 the beacon offers a secondary power: either Regeneration I alongside your primary effect, or boosting the primary to level II (Speed II, Haste II, Resistance II, Jump Boost II or Strength II). One beacon never gives both, which is the main reason large bases run several beacons side by side.
Which Blocks Should You Use?
Functionally it makes no difference: iron, gold, emerald, diamond and netherite blocks are interchangeable, and you can mix them freely in one pyramid. Iron is almost always the practical pick, since an iron farm produces the 1,476 ingots for a full beacon passively. Diamond and netherite pyramids are pure flex: the netherite version costs 5,904 ancient debris and 5,904 gold ingots just to craft the ingots, before turning them into 164 blocks.
Two activation rules trip people up. First, the pyramid must be complete for its level: a single missing or wrong block in a layer drops the beacon to the highest complete level below it. Second, the beam needs sky access; light-passing blocks such as glass, water and leaves above the beacon are fine, but one opaque block shuts it off entirely. Netherite blocks count as base blocks from 1.16 onward, the other four have worked since beacons were added.
Six Beacons and All Six Effects at Once
A single beacon gives one primary power plus the level 4 secondary. To run all six effects at the same time (Speed, Haste, Resistance, Jump Boost, Strength and Regeneration), players build a row or block of 6 beacons on one shared, widened pyramid, a layout the community calls beaconometry. Because the beacons share layers, the full 6-beacon level 4 pyramid needs 244 mineral blocks (3 stacks + 52) instead of 6 x 164 = 984, less than a quarter of the cost of six separate pyramids.
Each of the 6 beacons still needs its own nether star and its own ingot or gem to select a power, and each must sit on a complete level 4 footprint within the shared base. Set five of them to the five primaries at level II where it matters (typically Speed, Haste and Strength) and use the sixth for Regeneration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many blocks do you need for a full beacon in Minecraft?
A full level 4 beacon pyramid needs 164 mineral blocks: an 81-block 9x9 base, then 7x7 (49), 5x5 (25) and 3x3 (9) layers with the beacon on top. Since each block crafts from 9 ingots or gems, that is 1,476 iron ingots, gold ingots, emeralds, diamonds or netherite ingots.
Can you mix different blocks in a beacon pyramid?
Yes. Any combination of iron, gold, emerald, diamond and netherite blocks works in one pyramid, in any arrangement. The material makes no difference to range or effects, so most players build the whole pyramid from iron blocks, the cheapest option.
What is the range of a full beacon?
A level 4 beacon reaches 50 blocks downward and out to each side, and upward it adds the dimension's height limit on top of that range, so in practice it covers everything above the beacon. Smaller pyramids reach 20, 30 and 40 blocks for levels 1, 2 and 3.
How do I cover everything from bedrock to the build limit?
In Java Edition, put a level 4 beacon at Y -14 or lower. Its effect reaches 50 blocks down and runs all the way up past the build limit, so from Y -14 it covers bedrock at Y -64 and everything above. The beam still needs a clear path to the sky, which means the column straight above the beacon has to be open or glass all the way up. Smaller pyramids reach 20, 30 or 40 blocks down, so they'd have to sit at Y -44, -34 or -24.
Can one beacon give Speed II and Regeneration at the same time?
No. At level 4 you choose one secondary power: either Regeneration I or upgrading your chosen primary effect to level II, never both from a single beacon. To stack more effects you need multiple beacons, each set to a different power.
Does a beacon need to see the sky?
Yes. The beam must have an unobstructed path to the sky, but blocks that let light pass through, such as glass, water, leaves and slabs, are allowed above it, and so is bedrock. A solid opaque block anywhere above the beacon deactivates it.
How long do beacon effects last?
The duration is 9 seconds plus 2 seconds per pyramid level: 11, 13, 15 or 17 seconds for levels 1 to 4. While you stand in range the beacon re-applies the effect every 4 seconds, so it never runs out; after you leave, the remaining seconds tick down.
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