How Many Blocks Do You Need For A Beacon in Minecraft?

Many Minecraft veterans recommend setting up at least one beacon within your base. However, since a beacon requires a lot of resources, it’s usually recommended to set one up when you’re close to finishing your Minecraft adventure, or when you’re already done with it.

Either way, you’ll need to have a pyramid on hand, which has a clear view of the sky, waiting for your beacon. Let’s discuss how you can go about setting up this pyramid.

What is a Beacon?

A beacon is a block in Minecraft that can grant you certain buffs in a limited area range. Beacons are notoriously hard to craft, mainly due to how troublesome it is to procure the Nether Star, one of its key components.

A beacon needs to be placed atop a pyramid, else it won’t work. Moreover, you can place up to 6 beacons atop a single pyramid. Since crafting a pyramid requires a lot of resources, it’d be great if you could get a clear idea of how many resources you need.

READ MORE: How to Craft & Use A Minecraft Beacon [Ultimate Guide] ➜

What Blocks Do You Need for the Pyramid?

Before setting off to gather the required materials, you should know exactly what you’re looking for. You’ll need a huge amount of the following materials:

1. Iron
2. Gold
3. Diamond
4. Emerald
5. Netherite

Ultimately, it’ll be up to you to decide what kind of pyramid you build and whether you decide to use only 1 kind of material from these, or use different amounts of each material.

Where Can I Find These Materials?

Since you’ll be requiring these materials in large amounts, here are the best ways to acquire them. Make sure to use a pickaxe of high durability i.e. diamond pickaxe. Activating a buff like Fortune can also reduce the time you spend gathering these materials.

1. Iron

Iron is the most common material that you can use to upgrade your gear in Minecraft. Simple dig underground until you reach the deep slate layer and you’ll find plenty of iron waiting to be mined.

2. Gold

Gold is a pretty versatile material and can be used to upgrade armor and gear, as well as a form of currency. While it is a bit rare, it tends to spawn abundantly in specific locations. The best way to mine for gold is to use a Potion of Night Vision and head on over to the stone layer canyons in the Mesa biome/Badlands. Use the potion and mine your way through the stone layers in the canyon.

READ MORE: How To Make A Brewing Stand in Minecraft [2024 Guide] ➜

3. Diamond

Diamond is the most durable material in Minecraft, second only to netherite. Naturally, you’ll assume that diamonds might be very rare. But actually, they are pretty easy to find; deep underwater in the aquifier caves.

4. Emerald

Emerald is a rare material and it’s difficult to obtain it in large amounts. The 2 best ways to get emeralds are:

1. Trade with villagers
2. Mining on top of tall mountains (Stone Peaks, Jagged Peaks, Snowy Peaks)

Trading is simple enough; you’ll have to bring the required item to the villager and they’ll give you an emerald. However, if you’re mining, make sure you have the Silk Touch enchantment activated, so that the emerald blocks directly drop an emerald instead of the usual emerald ore.

5. Netherite

Netherite is most durable material in all of Minecraft. It is extremely hard to obtain to, as it is exclusive to the Nether. There are a few other places where you may find some, but they aren’t sustainable sources. To mine Netherite, you’ll need a Diamond Pickaxe, as mining without it will not yield any netherite at all. Furthermore, netherite is obtained from Ancient Debris blocks found underground in the Nether.

READ MORE: Where Does Netherite Spawn in Minecraft? [Level Guide] ➜

Blocks Required for the Pyramid

Here is a concise table showing how much you’ll need for a single beacon pyramid.

And here’s another concise table showing how much you’ll need for a 6 beacon pyramid.

Which Material is The Best For Making The Pyramid?

While the beacon’s power is only affected by how many layers you decide to create, many wonder whether the material you’re using makes a difference. for example; is there any benefit of using netherite over iron? Or whether it’s best to build a pyramid comprising of 1 material only or of multiple materials?

Well, the answer is simple; no, it does not matter what kind of material you use to construct the pyramid. Whether you decide to build the whole pyramid out of one material, or of multiple materials, it won’t affect the beacon’s abilities in the slightest. However, if you want your pyramid, and subsequently, your beacon to remain intact in case of attacks, consider using durable materials like Netherite or Diamond.

READ MORE: 20 Creative & Fun Building Ideas for Minecraft in 2024 ➜

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you decide what and how much goes into the pyramid. So make sure that you select the right amount for the right materials. Getting that beacon running as soon as possible should be your priority, as you won’t be able to live without it once it’s up and running.