Beaconator
Bring a Beacon to full power
Overview
Beaconator is a challenge advancement in the Nether tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Bring a Beacon to full power." It branches directly off Bring Home the Beacon, so that earlier advancement is its prerequisite and must be earned first. The Nether tab covers advancements for exploring and conquering the Nether dimension, from entering the portal to brewing potions. Beaconator was added in Minecraft 1.12 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Expert difficulty on this site: extremely difficult challenges that require extensive game knowledge and dedication. Because it is flagged as a challenge advancement, completing Beaconator makes a special toast and a sound play, and its frame in the advancement screen is the magenta challenge style rather than a normal square. Challenges are the hardest tier and usually represent a milestone rather than routine progress. Nothing else in the tree depends on it, so it is a leaf at the tip of its branch.
In tree terms, Beaconator sits fifth along its line: the full path from the Nether root reads Nether -> A Terrible Fortress -> Spooky Scary Skeleton -> Withering Heights -> Bring Home the Beacon -> Beaconator. That means 5 advancements must be completed before this one becomes available, and Beaconator is one of 22 total advancements in the Nether tab. No other advancement shares its parent, so it is the only thing that branches from Bring Home the Beacon.
How to Complete Beaconator
Earning Beaconator comes down to the following, performed in order:
- Build a full 4-layer pyramid under a beacon using 164 mineral blocks (iron, gold, diamond, emerald, or netherite).
- The pyramid layers are 9x9, 7x7, 5x5, and 3x3 from bottom to top, with the beacon on top.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Build the full four-tier pyramid (9x9, 7x7, 5x5, 3x3 = 164 blocks) under the beacon.
- Iron is the cheapest valid block; 164 iron blocks is 1476 ingots, so an iron farm helps enormously.
- Any mix of iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite blocks counts toward the 164.
- Make sure Bring Home the Beacon is already ticked off before you start, otherwise Beaconator will not be tracked even if you perform the steps correctly.
- As a challenge advancement this is best saved until you are well-equipped; rushing Beaconator underprepared is the usual reason attempts fail, so gather everything the steps above require before you commit.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes- Remember that Beaconator will not appear as available until Bring Home the Beacon is done, since the game only tracks an advancement once its parent has been unlocked.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksCompleting Beaconator grants 100 experience points, reflecting its status as a challenge — challenge advancements pay out far more XP than ordinary tasks. The XP drops at your position the moment the advancement fires.
It is a leaf advancement, so nothing further unlocks from it; it stands as a completed tip of its branch.
Details
Advancement ID
Category
Version AddedAdvancement Tree
Parent Advancement
Child Advancements
Beaconator Advancement FAQ
How do you get the Beaconator advancement in Minecraft?
Build the full four-tier pyramid (9x9, 7x7, 5x5, 3x3 = 164 blocks) under the beacon. In full, build a full 4-layer pyramid under a beacon using 164 mineral blocks (iron, gold, diamond, emerald, or netherite). The pyramid layers are 9x9, 7x7, 5x5, and 3x3 from bottom to top, with the beacon on top.
What do you need for Beaconator?
Before you can work on it you must have completed Bring Home the Beacon. Build a full 4-layer pyramid under a beacon using 164 mineral blocks (iron, gold, diamond, emerald, or netherite). The pyramid layers are 9x9, 7x7, 5x5, and 3x3 from bottom to top, with the beacon on top.
Which advancement tab is Beaconator in?
Beaconator is in the Nether tab, hanging beneath Bring Home the Beacon. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:nether/create_full_beacon.
Is Beaconator part of the Bring Home the Beacon branch?
Yes. Beaconator sits directly below Bring Home the Beacon in the Nether tree, so you must earn Bring Home the Beacon first. It is a leaf, so nothing further unlocks from it.
How much XP does Beaconator give and how hard is it?
Beaconator awards 100 XP and is rated Expert difficulty, and it is a challenge advancement (the hardest tier, with a special completion toast).