If you've been living in PoE 2's endgame for a bit, you've probably seen people chatting about the Vaal Infuser. It's one of those items that sounds simple until you actually try to use it. The big deal is quality: most gear sits comfortably at 20%, and that's where a lot of players stop. But if you're the type who checks every tiny stat bump, you'll end up chasing ways to go higher, sometimes even looking up things like poe2 currency buy while you plan out your next craft. The Infuser is basically your shot at breaking that normal ceiling on specific gear types.

What It Actually Does

Here's the part people care about: the Vaal Infuser can push quality up to 30% on Martial Weapons, Caster Weapons, and Armour. That extra 10% isn't just "nice to have." On armour it can mean more defence for free. On weapons it can be a noticeable damage nudge, depending on the base and your build. It's not something you toss on random upgrades while leveling, though. This is late-game, "my gear is already cracked" territory.

The Catch Nobody Wants to Hear

Using it is easy. Right-click, then click the item. The hard part is accepting what might happen next. The Infuser can corrupt the item, and corruption in PoE 2 is a real lock-in moment. No more casual currency tweaks. No "I'll fix the suffix later." If you were still planning to shuffle resistances or hunt a better roll, you're going to regret pushing that button. A lot of players treat it like sealing an envelope: once it's closed, that's it.

When It's Worth the Risk

The usual play is to wait until the item is basically finished. Not "pretty good," finished. If you're still debating between two crafting paths, don't do it. People often Infuse their build-defining pieces: a weapon that already has the exact mod combo you wanted, or a chest that's finally doing all the heavy lifting for survivability. It's also smart to think about backups. If the Infuser bricks your only good piece, your next few maps are going to feel rough.

Where You'll See One Drop

You're not going to find Vaal Infusers casually raining off campaign mobs. The reliable source is Atziri's Temple, specifically the Tier 3 Smithy room, the one people call the Golden Forge. Clearing it usually forces a choice: take the forge craft for a safe upgrade now, or grab the Infuser for that higher ceiling later. If you're playing the long game and you've got a near-perfect item waiting in your stash, that's when the Infuser starts calling your name, and that's also when players start thinking about resources like buy poe 2 exalted orbs to keep their crafting plans moving.