If you're knee-deep in PoE 2's endgame and you're already thinking about squeezing out that last bit of power, you'll bump into the Vaal Infuser sooner or later, right around the time you're also browsing stuff like poe2 currency buy to keep your crafting moving. It's basically a quality breaker. Most gear feels "done" at 20% quality, then this thing shows up and says, nah, you can push it further. The catch is it's not for every slot, and it's not for every mood. It's one of those items you use when you're happy with your gear and you're willing to roll the dice.

What it actually does

The Vaal Infuser is aimed at quality, not your prefixes and suffixes. It can take certain pieces past the usual ceiling, up to 30% quality on Martial Weapons, Caster Weapons, and Armour. That extra quality isn't just "nice to have" either. On a weapon it can translate into more damage scaling, and on armour it can be a chunky bump to the base defence you're stacking your whole build around. It's the kind of upgrade you notice most when you're already strong, because it smooths out the last rough edges in damage or tankiness.

The risk nobody shuts up about

Here's why people hesitate: using it can corrupt the item. And corruption in PoE is brutal in a very specific way. Once it's corrupted, you're basically done touching it with most crafting currency. No "oh wait, I'll just fix that resist later." No quick swap of a mod because you changed your mind. So players treat the Infuser like a final handshake, not a mid-craft step. A common pattern is to finish the whole item first, check your res caps, check your attribute requirements, make sure it fits the build, then only consider the Infuser when you're already wearing it and it feels locked in.

How to use it without misclicking your soul away

The actual use is simple: right-click the Vaal Infuser, then click the item you want to boost. The hard part is choosing the target. People usually aim at their best piece, the one they'd hate to replace, because the payoff is biggest there. But that's also the one that hurts the most if it corrupts and you later realise you wanted a different craft. It stacks up to 10, sure, but you won't be spamming them unless you're playing with a very healthy stash and a very chill attitude.

Where it comes from and the choice you'll have to make

You're not going to see these raining down in the campaign. The main place players talk about is Atziri's Temple, specifically the Tier 3 Smithy room, often called the Golden Forge. Clear it, and you're usually choosing between a safe, controlled craft on the spot or taking the Infuser as the reward for later. If you're still patching holes in your gear, the safe option can feel smarter. If your setup's already humming and you're chasing "perfect," that's when people grab the Infuser and start thinking about value, scarcity, and even stuff like cheapest poe 2 divine orb buy while they plan their next gamble.