The Vaal were the first. Long before the Templars took over Oriath or the Eternal Empire rose and fell under the weight of its own corruption, there was the Vaal civilization. If you've spent any time in the first Path of Exile, you know them as the source of those red, corrupted gems and the nightmare-fuel queen, Atziri. But as we move toward the release of Path of Exile 2, it's becoming clear that the Legacy of the Vaal PoE 2 isn't just some leftover lore bit. It’s the mechanical and thematic backbone of the entire sequel.
Grinding Gear Games isn't just recycling old assets. They're rebuilding the concept of "corruption" from the ground up.
The Vaal represent the peak of human achievement and the absolute rock bottom of human morality. They were the ones who first harnessed the Virtue Gems. They built the pyramids you see crumbling in Act 2. They also practiced mass human sacrifice on a scale that makes Dominus look like a saint. In Path of Exile 2, which takes place about 20 years after the death of Kitava, the world of Wraeclast is trying to heal, but the scars left by the Vaal are deep. You can't just delete a civilization that literally invented the magic system of your world.
The Blood and the Gems: What’s Actually Changing?
In the original game, Vaal skills were basically "super moves." You kill a bunch of mobs, charge up a soul counter, and then press a button to melt the screen. It was cool, but it felt separate from your main build. Honestly, it was often an afterthought. You’d slap a Vaal Grace on just for a panic button.
With the Legacy of the Vaal PoE 2, the integration is much tighter. Jonathan Rogers and the team at GGG have talked extensively about how the new skill gem system—where sockets are on the gems themselves rather than the gear—changes everything.
Imagine finding a corrupted Vaal gem in the sequel.
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It’s not just a stat stick anymore. Because PoE 2 emphasizes "spirit" as a resource for persistent effects and changes how mana is reserved, the way Vaal souls interact with the player has to evolve. We’ve seen glimpses of Vaal-themed areas in the new Act 2 (which, interestingly, revisits some of the same geographical regions as the first game's Act 2). The architecture is cleaner but somehow more menacing. It’s that classic Vaal aesthetic: gold, blood, and geometric perfection.
The "corrupted" mechanic is also getting a facelift. In the first game, Vaal Orbs were the "brick or god-tier" gamble. You’d hit a Shavronne's Wrappings with one and pray. In PoE 2, the legacy of this corruption is expected to be more nuanced. We're looking at items that might have "latent" Vaal properties that only activate under specific combat conditions. It’s less about a random chance to ruin an item and more about leaning into a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that reflects how the Vaal actually lived. They traded everything for power. You should have to, too.
Why the Vaal Lore Matters for the New Campaign
Let’s talk about the seed of corruption.
In the first game, the Vaal fell because of a communion with the Beast. Queen Atziri wanted eternal youth. Doryani, her head thaumaturgist, tried to achieve it. Instead, they triggered a "cataclysm" that wiped out the entire empire in a single day.
Twenty years after the end of PoE 1, the world isn't "fixed." The gods are gone—or at least, the ones we killed are—but the underlying magic of the world is still messed up. The Legacy of the Vaal PoE 2 shows up in the new bosses. GGG has been showing off bosses like the "Executioner" and various ancient constructs that look suspiciously like improved versions of the Vaal Oversoul.
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The sequel’s narrative is more grounded. It’s less about "kill the god of hunger" and more about "how do we survive in a world where the very ground is poisoned by ancient magic?" The Vaal are the source of that poison. Their ruins aren't just dungeons; they are leakages. When you walk into a Vaal-themed boss arena in PoE 2, the environment is reactive. We've seen boss fights where the floor crumbles or the lighting shifts based on the "corruption level" of the encounter. This is a far cry from the static circles of the first game.
Combat Feel and the "Vaal Weight"
The gameplay of Path of Exile 2 is slower. Well, maybe "deliberate" is a better word. You can't just hold down one button and clear three screens. You have to dodge. You have to time your hits.
This plays perfectly into the Vaal theme.
The Vaal were never about subtle magic. They were about overwhelming force and blood. The new skill effects for Vaal-adjacent spells look... heavy. When a Vaal Slam hits the ground, the screen shake and the sound design make you feel the weight of those thousands of years of history.
- Vaal Skills: No longer just "ultimate" buttons, but integrated finishers.
- Environment: Destructible Vaal ruins that actually impact the fight.
- Bosses: Telegraphed, brutal movements that mirror the "sacrifice" theme.
Some people are worried that the game is becoming too much like Elden Ring or Diablo 4. But the Legacy of the Vaal PoE 2 is what keeps it "PoE." That specific brand of dark, gritty, and overly complex systems is still there. The complexity has just moved from "how many spreadsheets do I need?" to "how well can I execute this combo?"
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How to Prepare for the Vaal Influence
If you're planning on jumping into the Path of Exile 2 early access or the full launch, you need to change your mindset about the Vaal. In the old game, they were a side-content thing—something you did for extra loot in a side area. In the sequel, they are the foundation.
You’ll want to pay attention to the "Ancient" tag on items. From what we've gathered from developer interviews and demo footage, ancient items and Vaal-influenced gear will likely require specific "Spirit" thresholds to equip. This replaces the old "just get enough Strength" requirement. It makes the gear feel more like a cursed artifact and less like a piece of armor.
Also, watch the blood.
Literally. The blood effects in PoE 2 are insane. The Vaal were a blood-based society, and many of the new environmental puzzles involve filling basins or activating altars with the blood of your enemies. It’s a bit macabre, sure, but it’s peak Path of Exile.
The Legacy of the Vaal PoE 2 is ultimately about consequences. The Vaal tried to cheat death and failed. The Eternal Empire tried to copy them and failed. Now, your exile is walking through the wreckage of both, trying to find a third way. It’s a story of survival, but more importantly, it’s a story about the cost of power.
Actionable Steps for the New Exile:
- Revisit the Lore: Go back and read the environmental inscriptions in Act 2 of PoE 1. The names mentioned there—Doryani, Zerphi, Atziri—are almost certain to have their legacies explored or subverted in the sequel's campaign.
- Master the Dodge Roll: The new dodge mechanic is essential for surviving Vaal-themed boss encounters, which frequently use large, "one-shot" area-of-effect attacks that can't be simply out-tanked.
- Watch the "Spirit" Stat: As you see new previews, keep an eye on how Spirit is used. It’s the key to using the high-level Vaal skills that will likely dominate the endgame meta.
- Experiment with Combos: PoE 2 allows for much more fluid skill chaining. Practice thinking in terms of "Set-up Skill" into "Vaal Finisher" rather than just spamming a single ability.
The Vaal never really left Wraeclast. They just waited for someone new to come along and wake them up. Don't be surprised when the first big "holy crap" moment in the PoE 2 campaign involves a sacrifice you didn't see coming. That's just how the Vaal do things.