How to activate and use a beacon in Minecraft?

Beacons are some of the most helpful items in Minecraft. The game has certain effects that help players in several ways, from mining faster to regenerating health. These powerups can either be obtained with enchantments and potions, or can be permanently applied in a particular area where beacons are present.

Beacons are special blocks that can only be obtained by crafting. Essentially, when these blocks are activated, they permanently give certain powerups to those who are in the vicinity.

This can greatly help one work effortlessly in a particular area. However, many new players might find it difficult to use the block properly.

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Ways to activate and use a beacon in Minecraft

How to craft and setup the block

First, players will need to know how to obtain the block and set it up. Crafting this is hard as it requires an item that is quite difficult to obtain, a Nether star. This can only be obtained by killing the terrifying Wither boss mob.

Once players have a nether star, they can combine it with five glass blocks and three obsidian blocks to craft it.

Crafting recipe (Image via Minecraft)

To set it up, players will need one type of block in abundance, be it iron, diamond, emerald, netherite or gold. This type of block doesn't affect power so players can choose blocks of iron since they are the most accessible.

However, the enormity of the pyramid made with these blocks does affect the status effect options. Make sure that there are no blocks between the beacon and the sky.

Four ways to build the pyramid (Image via Mojang)

There are four ways to make a pyramid for the beacon. The larger the pyramid, the more status effects players can unlock and use:

1. 3x3 block single storey pyramid gives speed and haste
2. 5x5 block two storey pyramid gives resistance and jump boost
3. 7x7 block three storey pyramid gives strength
4. 9x9 block four storey pyramid gives regeneration or any second level status effect

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How to activate it

Select a status effect and insert a mineral item to activate (Image via Minecraft)

Once players have everything in place, they can right click on the block to open the GUI where the rest of the work will be done. Here, players will see all the types of status effects that can be activated.

They will notice that they will have to insert any one of the mineral items to activate it, be it iron, gold, diamond, netherite or emerald. Once the item is inserted, they can then select from the status effects available to them depending on the size of the pyramid.

Once they hit the tick mark button, they will soon have a status effect on them.

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