Mastering Corruption: How and When to Use Vaal Orbs in PoE 2

Vaal Orbs are one of the riskiest but most rewarding crafting items in Path of Exile 2. They have the power to enhance an item with a game-changing modifier—but they can also render it useless. If you're unsure when to use Vaal Orbs or whether corrupting an item is worth it, this guide will break it all down. We’ll go over how Vaal Orbs work, when they should (and shouldn’t) be used, and strategies to get the most value out of them.

What Do Vaal Orbs Do in PoE 2?

Using a Vaal Orb on an item corrupts it, meaning it can no longer be modified further. However, corruption isn't just a trade-off—it can introduce powerful implicit mods or completely alter the item. Here’s what can happen when you use a Vaal Orb:

• Weapons, Armor, and Accessories:

  • Gain a powerful implicit modifier (e.g., increased damage, resistance, or life).
  • Reroll all existing modifiers, potentially ruining or improving the item.
  • Brick the item by turning it into a random corrupted rare.
  • No change at all (the item is just corrupted with no benefit).

• Skill Gems:

  • Increase the gem level (e.g., a Level 20 gem could become Level 21).
  • Increase quality (beyond 20% for even more bonus effects).
  • Turn into its Vaal version, like Fireball becoming Vaal Fireball.
  • Do nothing but apply corruption.

• Maps:

  • Upgrade the map to a higher tier.
  • Add extra map mods, increasing monster density and loot.
  • Add or remove boss mods.

Important Note: Once corrupted, items cannot be modified further, meaning you can’t reroll them, add sockets, or craft new mods. This is what makes Vaal Orbs such a gamble.

Where to Get Vaal Orbs in PoE 2

Vaal Orbs aren’t as common as other crafting currency, but you can obtain them through:

• Monster Drops – Found in higher-level areas and Vaal-themed encounters.
• Corrupted Zones – These areas often contain Vaal chests with Vaal Orbs.
• Vendor Recipes – Selling a set of Vaal skill gems (one of each attribute type) can give you a Vaal Orb.
• Trading – If you need Vaal Orbs quickly, you can buy them from SSEGOLD’s PoE 2 items shop.

When to Use Vaal Orbs in PoE 2

Vaal Orbs are a high-risk, high-reward currency, so knowing when to use them is key. Here’s when corruption is worth it:

1. Corrupting Unique Items

Many players use Vaal Orbs on valuable uniques because corruption can add strong implicit mods. However, it’s also a gamble—if the corruption fails, the item might lose its value.

Best Unique Items to Corrupt:

• Headhunter – Can gain life leech, resistances, or extra damage mods.
• Astramentis – May gain an implicit bonus to attributes, increasing its power.
• Dream Fragments – Can get extra mana regeneration or freeze immunity.

If you’re willing to take the risk, corrupting uniques can skyrocket their value—but if you’re unlucky, it could destroy them.

2. Corrupting High-Tier Rares

For rare items, corruption can add powerful implicit mods that make them insanely valuable. However, there’s also the risk of bricking the item into a random corrupted rare.

Best Rares to Corrupt:

• Rings and Amulets – Can get +1 to gem levels, extra resistances, or life regen.
• High-DPS Weapons – Corrupting them can add extra attack speed or damage multipliers.
• Armor with High Base Defenses – Can gain additional block chance, life, or resistances.

Before using a Vaal Orb on a rare, check the market value first—some items are better left uncorrupted.

3. Corrupting Skill Gems

Skill gems are one of the safest ways to use Vaal Orbs because even if the corruption fails, the gem still remains usable.

Why Corrupt Skill Gems?

• +1 to Level – A Level 21 skill gem is often much more powerful than a Level 20 gem.
• Higher Quality – Corrupting a 20% quality gem can boost it even further.
• Turn into a Vaal Skill – Regular gems can become their Vaal versions, unlocking new powerful effects.

Best Gems to Corrupt:

• Auras (e.g., Determination, Grace, Zealotry) – Higher levels increase their effectiveness.
• Damage Skills (e.g., Fireball, Blade Vortex, Lightning Arrow) – Higher damage scaling.
• Support Gems (e.g., Empower, Enlighten, Increased Duration) – Boost their effects significantly.

4. Corrupting Maps

Corrupting maps can be highly profitable but also extremely dangerous. A corrupted map might upgrade to a higher tier, but it could also gain deadly mods.

Best Maps to Corrupt:

• High-Tier Maps – If the corruption upgrades the tier, it increases the rewards.
• Currency-Farming Maps – Corrupting them can boost loot drops.
• Challenge League Maps – Some leagues reward players for completing corrupted maps.

Before corrupting maps, check their mods—if they roll difficult modifiers (like Elemental Reflect), they could become impossible for your build.

Best Strategies for Using Vaal Orbs

To minimize risk and maximize rewards, follow these strategies:

1. Use Vaal Orbs on Duplicates

If you have multiple copies of an item (e.g., two identical unique rings), corrupt one and keep the other as a backup.

2. Use Omens of Corruption

Omens of Corruption can help predict what might happen when using a Vaal Orb, reducing the randomness slightly.

3. Check the Market Before Corrupting

Some items lose value when corrupted, while others become rare treasures. Look up similar corrupted items before making a decision.

4. Save High-Value Items for Double Corruption

Double-corrupting an item in Vaal Temples can stack two corrupted implicit mods—but it's also extremely risky.

Final Thoughts

Vaal Orbs are a powerful but risky tool in PoE 2, capable of making or breaking an item. Knowing when and how to use them is the key to making profitable trades and maximizing your build’s potential. Whether you're corrupting uniques, skill gems, or maps, always weigh the risk vs. reward before using a Vaal Orb!