Beacon Build Sheet

The pyramid

Tier 1

3x3 = 9 blocks · 20 block range

Tier 2

5x5 = 25 blocks · 30 range · running total 34

Tier 3

7x7 = 49 blocks · 40 range · running total 83

Tier 4

9x9 = 81 blocks · 50 range · TOTAL 164

⚠ The 4th tier alone

81 blocks — 49% of the pyramid, vs 83 for the first three

What tier 4 unlocks

the SECONDARY power — second effect or level II

Full pyramid in ingots

1,476

Valid materials

iron · gold · diamond · emerald · netherite

Mixing materials

allowed, and no penalty

The beacon block

3 obsidian + 5 glass + 1 NETHER STAR

⚠ Needs

clear sky above — glass OK, roof NOT

⚠ Beyond 4 tiers

does nothing

Before building

• Decided whether you need the 4th tier — it is half the blocks
• Wither planned; the nether star is the real gate
• Material chosen (iron is the practical answer)
• Blocks crafted, not carried as loose ingots — 9 to a block
• Location has CLEAR SKY straight up
• Foundation levelled — the pyramid must be solid
• Range checked against what you want covered — 50 blocks at 4 tiers
• More beacons planned instead of a taller pyramid, if you need wider cover

The last tier nearly doubles the build

Each layer is a square, so cost grows with the square of the width: 9, 25, 49, 81. The first THREE tiers come to 83 blocks between them; the fourth costs 81 on its own — 49% of the finished pyramid. What it buys is the secondary power slot, which makes it a genuine decision rather than a formality.

If it does nothing, check the sky

Every block directly above the beacon must be transparent or air, all the way up. Glass is fine; a stone roof is not. This is by far the commonest reason a correctly built pyramid produces no effect — check it before dismantling anything.