The Vaal Orb in Path of Exile is a potent but unpredictable currency item that permanently corrupts equipment, altering its properties with significant risk and reward. Its outcomes can range from highly beneficial modifications to catastrophic losses, making an understanding of the best- and worst-case scenarios critical for players who want to use Vaal Orbs strategically.

In the best-case outcome, a Vaal Orb can add powerful corrupted modifiers to an item, which are otherwise unobtainable. On unique items, corruption might add an implicit mod such as extra sockets (though limited by item type), improved affix values by up to 22%, or unique corrupted modifiers that significantly boost damage, resistances, attributes, or skill levels. For example, an already strong unique weapon could receive extra damage boosts or spell slots, enhancing its effectiveness beyond normal limits. This can dramatically increase an item’s value and desirability, sometimes making it stand out in the market or enabling new build possibilities that were not available before corruption. For players managing resources carefully, understanding how Vaal Orbs interact with poe 2 currency is crucial for maximizing both item power and trading potential.

Another favorable outcome is that the Vaal Orb might simply add the "Corrupted" tag without otherwise altering the item. While this outcome is neutral in terms of enhancing power, it still locks the item’s existing stats and prevents further modification, which can be beneficial if the item is already ideal.

The worst-case scenario with a Vaal Orb is that it wreaks havoc on an item’s existing mods. It may reroll affixes into less desirable or worthless stats, reduce previously high rolls to lower percentages, or shuffle modifiers in a way that destroys the synergy of a crafted or valuable rare item. This outcome can drastically reduce the item's power and value, often rendering it unusable or impractical. In some instances, the corruption may even remove critical mods or essential utility on unique items, leading to a net loss of performance.

The corruption is irreversible—once an item is corrupted, it cannot be reverted or further crafted with normal orbs. This permanence is the core of the risk: the gamble may reward a player with a unique and powerful upgrade or leave them with a ruined piece of equipment.

Additional variability arises from the Omen of Corruption, an item that removes the chance the Vaal Orb does nothing, thereby increasing the likelihood of either good or bad changes. Use of this item is recommended only when the risk is justified, typically on very valuable items. Many traders even calculate the potential return compared to the cost to buy poe 2 currency, weighing whether corruption is worth the financial gamble.

The best case sees Vaal Orbs boosting items beyond their usual limits by adding rare, powerful corrupted mods or extra sockets, enhancing their performance and value. The worst case results in randomized rerolls that degrade or ruin the item’s stats, locking it in that worsened state without possibility for recovery. Mastery of the Vaal Orb involves balancing these risks based on item worth, build needs, and careful preparation.