How to build a beacon pyramid out of amethyst blocks

Amethyst blocks count as valid beacon base blocks, so they work like iron, gold, diamond or netherite blocks in a pyramid.

Pyramid layers

The pyramid is built from the top down, directly under the beacon. Each tier is a solid square layer, and each one is wider than the last:

1. Tier 1: a 3×3 layer of amethyst blocks, with the beacon in the center on top.

2. Tier 2: add a 5×5 layer below it.

3. Tier 3: add a 7×7 layer below that.

4. Tier 4: add a 9×9 layer at the bottom.

A 3×3 layer takes 9 blocks, 5×5 takes 25, 7×7 takes 49, and 9×9 takes 81. A full four-tier pyramid is therefore 164 blocks in total, and each tier adds its own layer on top of the ones before it.

Steps

1. Pick a spot with nothing solid above it. Place the beacon last, once the base is done.

2. Lay the 9×9 bottom layer first if you are building a full pyramid, then build upward and center each smaller layer on the one below.

3. Put the beacon on the middle block of the top layer.

4. Right-click the beacon. The more tiers you have, the more effects the menu offers.

A taller pyramid means more effect options and a bigger area of effect. You can start with one tier and extend the pyramid later by building new layers beneath it.