What are Vaal Orbs in Path of Exile 2?
Path of Exile 2 is a game where you can go from building a god-tier character to accidentally turning your best gear into a cursed, unusable relic with a single click, all thanks to the chaotic beauty of Vaal Orbs. These mysterious little orbs can either skyrocket your item to greatness or plunge it into the abyss, so let's unravel what they actually do, when to use them, and why they’re the ultimate gamble for any weary gear-chaser. What do Vaal Orbs do in Path of Exile 2? Vaal Orbs are a unique type of currency item in Path of Exile 2 that can be used to apply a powerful enhancement to your items. When used on an item, a Vaal Orb can modify that item in a random, unpredictable way. Screenshot by Destructoid Unlike other currency items in the game that apply specific modifications (like the Chaos Orb, which re-rolls item affixes), Vaal Orbs bring a sense of risk and excitement with every use. Either way, when a Vaal Orb is used on an item, that item is almost always permanently Corrupted. How Do Vaal Orbs Work? To use a Vaal Orb, right-click it and apply it to an item you want to enhance. This can be done to almost any item in your inventory, but it’s crucial to understand what Vaal Orbs do before using them recklessly. Here's what could happen: Corruption - Using a Vaal Orb will always Corrupt the target item. This means the item is altered in some way, either positively or negatively, while preventing you from ever altering it again in any way. Some possible outcomes include adding an extra affix, upgrading the tier of an affix, or granting an entirely new ability, such as a bonus to critical hit chance or a new socket. No Changes - Sometimes, you might use a Vaal Orb on an item, and it will result in no visible changes. This is part of the randomness and risk factor associated with these Orbs. Even when no changes occur, the item will still be Corrupted in the process. Screenshot by Destructoid Negative outcomes - The more you play with Vaal Orbs, the more you’ll realize that things can go wrong. In some cases, an affix might be removed entirely, and the item could lose its power. Let me be clear: this outcome can completely ruin an item, and there's nothing you can do about it. Unique bonuses - Some Vaal Orbs add completely new properties to items. For example, some armor pieces may gain specific stats or resistance modifiers that weren’t previously available. These bonuses can significantly improve your build or add a much-needed utility to your character. This outcome is also the reason why many players use Vaal Orbs in the first place: for a chance the most powerful gear in the game. When should you use a Vaal Orb? One of the most exciting aspects of using Vaal Orbs is the high-risk, high-reward factor. But knowing when to apply a Vaal Orb is crucial to ensuring it’s worth the gamble. You should use a Vaal Orb on an item after you’ve already done all possible enhancements to it through other methods, like using the standard crafting system. Vaal Orbs should be your last step, as they carry the risk of permanently locking in a modifier and corrupting your item. A prematurely corrupted item is of no use to anyone, so tread lightly before deciding to use one. Screenshot by Destructoid Consider the following scenarios before using a Vaal Orb on your item: Endgame gear - If you’re at the endgame and have a piece of gear that’s already been crafted or enhanced as much as possible, this is when you might want to take the plunge and use a Vaal Orb. While Vaal Orbs can weaken already strong items, using one at this juncture could lead to an item that is impossibly stronger than what you started with. If you hope to push your item to its maximum potential, consider using a Vaal Orb here. Items with high potential - If you’re working with an item that has already shown to have high potential, whether it's rare or unique, using a Vaal Orb can push it to even greater heights. However, don’t do this with an item you're not ready to part with, as corruption means you won’t be able to alter the item again. Items you’re willing to sacrifice - If you’re experimenting with a piece of gear that you aren’t heavily attached to and want to see if the Vaal Orb can turn it into something truly great, you should absolutely use a Vaal Orb on it. Just know that you may lose something valuable in the process. Only use Vaal Orbs when you're ready to risk it all for a chance at something extraordinary. They’re designed to add that excitement and uncertainty to the crafting process. The reward could be a game-changing item, but the risk is real, and you could end up with a worthless piece of gear. The post What are Vaal Orbs in Path of Exile 2? appeared first on Destructoid.
Path of Exile 2 is a game where you can go from building a god-tier character to accidentally turning your best gear into a cursed, unusable relic with a single click, all thanks to the chaotic beauty of Vaal Orbs.
These mysterious little orbs can either skyrocket your item to greatness or plunge it into the abyss, so let's unravel what they actually do, when to use them, and why they’re the ultimate gamble for any weary gear-chaser.
What do Vaal Orbs do in Path of Exile 2?
Vaal Orbs are a unique type of currency item in Path of Exile 2 that can be used to apply a powerful enhancement to your items. When used on an item, a Vaal Orb can modify that item in a random, unpredictable way.
Unlike other currency items in the game that apply specific modifications (like the Chaos Orb, which re-rolls item affixes), Vaal Orbs bring a sense of risk and excitement with every use. Either way, when a Vaal Orb is used on an item, that item is almost always permanently Corrupted.
How Do Vaal Orbs Work?
To use a Vaal Orb, right-click it and apply it to an item you want to enhance. This can be done to almost any item in your inventory, but it’s crucial to understand what Vaal Orbs do before using them recklessly. Here's what could happen:
- Corruption - Using a Vaal Orb will always Corrupt the target item. This means the item is altered in some way, either positively or negatively, while preventing you from ever altering it again in any way. Some possible outcomes include adding an extra affix, upgrading the tier of an affix, or granting an entirely new ability, such as a bonus to critical hit chance or a new socket.
- No Changes - Sometimes, you might use a Vaal Orb on an item, and it will result in no visible changes. This is part of the randomness and risk factor associated with these Orbs. Even when no changes occur, the item will still be Corrupted in the process.
- Negative outcomes - The more you play with Vaal Orbs, the more you’ll realize that things can go wrong. In some cases, an affix might be removed entirely, and the item could lose its power. Let me be clear: this outcome can completely ruin an item, and there's nothing you can do about it.
- Unique bonuses - Some Vaal Orbs add completely new properties to items. For example, some armor pieces may gain specific stats or resistance modifiers that weren’t previously available. These bonuses can significantly improve your build or add a much-needed utility to your character. This outcome is also the reason why many players use Vaal Orbs in the first place: for a chance the most powerful gear in the game.
When should you use a Vaal Orb?
One of the most exciting aspects of using Vaal Orbs is the high-risk, high-reward factor. But knowing when to apply a Vaal Orb is crucial to ensuring it’s worth the gamble. You should use a Vaal Orb on an item after you’ve already done all possible enhancements to it through other methods, like using the standard crafting system. Vaal Orbs should be your last step, as they carry the risk of permanently locking in a modifier and corrupting your item. A prematurely corrupted item is of no use to anyone, so tread lightly before deciding to use one.
Consider the following scenarios before using a Vaal Orb on your item:
- Endgame gear - If you’re at the endgame and have a piece of gear that’s already been crafted or enhanced as much as possible, this is when you might want to take the plunge and use a Vaal Orb. While Vaal Orbs can weaken already strong items, using one at this juncture could lead to an item that is impossibly stronger than what you started with. If you hope to push your item to its maximum potential, consider using a Vaal Orb here.
- Items with high potential - If you’re working with an item that has already shown to have high potential, whether it's rare or unique, using a Vaal Orb can push it to even greater heights. However, don’t do this with an item you're not ready to part with, as corruption means you won’t be able to alter the item again.
- Items you’re willing to sacrifice - If you’re experimenting with a piece of gear that you aren’t heavily attached to and want to see if the Vaal Orb can turn it into something truly great, you should absolutely use a Vaal Orb on it. Just know that you may lose something valuable in the process.
Only use Vaal Orbs when you're ready to risk it all for a chance at something extraordinary. They’re designed to add that excitement and uncertainty to the crafting process. The reward could be a game-changing item, but the risk is real, and you could end up with a worthless piece of gear.
The post What are Vaal Orbs in Path of Exile 2? appeared first on Destructoid.
