This wikiHow teaches you how to make a beacon in the Minecraft Survival mode game. While not easy, having a beacon can make your base visible from almost anywhere on the map. In addition, flares can also have a beneficial effect on your character. Beacons can be created in all versions of Minecraft, including PC, Pocket, and console editions.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making a Beacon
Step 1. Know the layout of the beacon
The beacon must be at least a 3x3 base one block high made of at least iron blocks (you can also use diamond, gold, and/or emerald blocks). The beacon unit will be placed on top of this base. If you want to increase the power and range of a beacon, increase the beacon base to 5x5, 7x7, and 9x9 for each power level.
The process of making a beacon is tedious as you need at least 81 ingots to make the base alone
Step 2. Gather the required materials
You will need the following materials to make a beacon:
- Minimum 81 iron ore - Mine a lot of iron ore (gray stone with orange spots) using a stone pickaxe or better. In addition to iron, you can also use gold, emeralds, or diamonds, but these minerals are more difficult to obtain than iron, and don't have a different effect on flares.
- Three obsidian blocks - Obsidian is formed when water flowing from above comes into contact with lava. This material can be found in deep caves. To mine obsidian, you need a diamond pickaxe.
- Five sand blocks - This material is needed to make glass.
- Nether Star - Kill Wither and pick up the dropped stars. Wither is very difficult to spawn and kill by players who are still low level. So, make sure that you are really ready.
- Fuel - You can use coal or wooden planks. Fuel is needed to light a furnace when you melt glass and iron.
Step 3. Smelting iron ore
Open the furnace, then place 81 iron ore in the top box, and put the fuel in the bottom box. After you get 81 iron bars, move the iron to the inventory (inventory).
- In Minecraft PE, tap the top square, tap the iron bar icon, tap the bottom square, then tap fuel.
- In the console edition, select your iron bar, then press the button triangle or Y, select the fuel, and press the button triangle or Y again.
Step 4. Melt the glass
Place the sand block in the furnace, refill the fuel if needed, then take the 5 glass blocks that resulted from the smelting.
Step 5. Open the crafting table
Right-click the crafting table (for PC), tap the crafting table (for PE), or face the crafting table, then press the left button.
Step 6. Make iron blocks
Place 9 iron bars in each box, then click on the pile containing the 9 iron blocks and put them in your inventory.
- In Minecraft PE, select the gray iron block by tapping it, then tap 1 x which is on the right side of the screen 9 times.
- In the console edition, scroll to the far right tab, then select the magma block, scroll down until you reach the iron block, then press X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) 9 times.
Step 7. Create a beacon unit
Reopen the crafting table if necessary, then place an obsidian block in each of the bottom squares, and place the Nether Star in the center square. Next, place one piece of glass in each of the remaining empty squares. Move the generated beacons to inventory. Now you can create the beacon itself.
- In Minecraft PE, tap the beacon icon, then tap 1 x.
- In the console edition, look for the beacon tab, select the beacon, then press the button X or A.
Part 2 of 3: Building a Beacon Tower
Step 1. Find a location to place the beacon
You have to find a flat place. Ideally, the beacon should be near your home.
Step 2. Place the iron block on the ground
Place three rows of three blocks to make a base of 9 blocks of 3x3 size.
Step 3. Place the beacon unit
Select the newly created beacon unit, then select the iron block in the middle. The beacon will fire immediately.
Step 4. Try adding more layers to the flare unit
If you want to increase the power of the flare, add a base containing 25 5x5 blocks just below the 3x3 base.
- You can add a base containing 49 blocks of size 7x7 under a base of 5x5, and add a base containing 81 blocks of size 9x9 under a base of 7x7.
- You cannot create a beacon with a base that exceeds 9x9 blocks in size.
Part 3 of 3: Changing the Sound Effect
Step 1. Look for mineral effects
You'll need at least one of the following ingredients to modify the beacon effect:
- iron bar
- gold bars
- Emerald
- Diamond
Step 2. Select the beacon
Right-click your beacon (or tap it, or press the left button on the controller when facing it) to open it.
Step 3. Select an effect
Select the effect you want to get from the flare. There are two options to choose from:
- Speed - Select the claw icon which is on the left side of the window. You can run faster if you choose this option.
- Haste - Select the pickaxe icon on the left side of the window. This option can make you mine faster.
- The higher the level of the beacon tower you have, the greater the effect you can get.
Step 4. Add a mineral effect
Click and drag a mineral into the empty box at the bottom of the flare window.
- In Minecraft PE, tap the mineral in the upper left side of the screen.
- In the console edition, select the mineral and press the button triangle or Y.
Step 5. Check the box
It's a green icon at the bottom of the beacon window. Once you tick it, the selected effect will be applied to the flare.
