Nether Star
Rare boss drop obtained by defeating the Wither, used as the sole crafting ingredient for the Beacon block that grants area-of-effect status buffs.
Description
The star is the center ingredient in the Beacon crafting recipe, surrounded by five glass and three obsidian. A beacon also requires a pyramid of mineral blocks underneath — iron, gold, diamond, emerald, or netherite — with up to four layers to unlock stronger effect tiers. Primary effects at full power include Speed, Haste, Strength, Jump Boost, or Resistance; a secondary Regeneration effect unlocks at the four-layer tier.
Nether Star is indestructible by explosions and does not burn in lava, preventing accidental loss after the fight. Players often summon the Wither underground in tight tunnels to prevent it from flying out of range.
Java & Bedrock Guide
How to get a Nether Star in Minecraft
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1
Collect 3 wither skeleton skulls
Kill wither skeletons inside nether fortresses; each wither skeleton skull has roughly a 2.5% drop chance, which Looting III raises to about 5.5%.
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2
Gather 4 soul sand
Mine four soul sand blocks from a soul sand valley or the edges of nether wastes; soul soil does not work for the summon.
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3
Build the T-shape
Place four soul sand in a T pattern — three blocks in a top row with one block centered directly below them.
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4
Summon the Wither
Set the three wither skeleton skulls on top of the three upper soul sand blocks; placing the final skull spawns the Wither boss.
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5
Defeat the Wither
Survive the initial explosion burst and reduce the boss to zero health; the Wither drops exactly one Nether Star on death.
Summon the Wither in a sealed underground room so it cannot fly out of range. In Bedrock Edition the Wither's blue-skull explosion is larger, so reinforce nearby walls with obsidian before the fight.
Used in crafts
Frequently asked questions
Can you craft a Nether Star?
No. Nether Star cannot be crafted and only drops from the Wither boss; defeating one Wither yields exactly one star.
What is a Nether Star used for?
Nether Star is the sole ingredient for crafting a Beacon, placed in the center surrounded by five glass and three obsidian.
Does a Nether Star burn in lava?
No. Nether Star is immune to fire, lava, and explosions, so it survives the Wither's death blast and cannot be lost in the Nether.
How many Nether Stars does the Wither drop?
The Wither always drops exactly one Nether Star, and the drop is not affected by the Looting enchantment.
Can you get more than one Nether Star?
Yes. Summon and defeat the Wither again with three more wither skeleton skulls and four soul sand for each additional star.
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