Beacon is crafted from one nether star, surrounded by five glass blocks across the top and three obsidian on the bottom. The nether star itself drops only from killing the Wither — making this a true endgame artefact. Once placed, the device must sit atop a pyramid of mineral blocks (iron, gold, diamond, emerald, or netherite) to activate; the pyramid can range from a 3×3 single tier giving a small radius up to a four-tier 9×9-base structure with full power.

The interface offers a primary effect — Speed, Haste, Resistance, Jump Boost, or Strength — and at higher tiers a secondary effect of Regeneration. To activate, feed the device an iron, gold, emerald, diamond, or netherite ingot. The radius scales with the pyramid: tier one covers about twenty blocks, tier four extends fifty-plus. The vertical light beam itself reaches the build limit and can be tinted by placing stained glass directly above, an essential landmark for large bases.