PoE Vaal Skills Builds & Changes

PoE Vaal Skill Gems

Level Skill Gems Description Tag
1 Vaal Glacial Hammer Vaal Glacial Hammer Hits enemies, converting some of your physical damage to cold damage. It traps enemies with you in a circle of ice so that they can't escape. Requires a Mace, Sceptre or Staff. Vaal, Attack, Melee, Strike, Duration, AoE, Cold
1 Vaal Ground Slam Vaal Ground Slam Slams the ground in front of you, creating a wave that travels in all directions that damages enemies with an increased chance to stun. The wave deals more damage to closer enemies. Requires an Axe, Mace, Sceptre, Staff or Unarmed. Vaal, Attack, AoE, Slam, Melee
4 Vaal Molten Shell Vaal Molten Shell Applies a buff that raises your armour, and takes some of the damage from hits for you before being depleted. Each second, the skill deals reflected damage to surrounding enemies based on the damage taken by the buff in that second. When the buff is removed, the skill deals reflected damage to enemies around you based on the total damage that was taken by the buff. You cannot have the buff at the same time as any other Guard skill. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Fire, Physical, Guard
24 Vaal Impurity of Fire Vaal Impurity of Fire Casts an aura that reduces fire damage taken and provides ignite immunity to you and nearby allies, and makes hits against nearby enemies ignore their fire resistance. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Fire
28 Vaal Ancestral Warchief Vaal Ancestral Warchief Summons an Ancestor Totem which attacks enemies with a powerful cascading slam while you're near it. If the enemies are far away, it will leap toward them as it slams. Being near it grants you more melee damage. Requires a Melee Weapon or Unarmed. Vaal, Attack, Totem, AoE, Melee, Slam
28 Vaal Earthquake Vaal Earthquake Smashes the ground, dealing damage in an area and cracking the earth. The crack will erupt in a powerful aftershock after a short duration. After using this skill, your steps will deal damage around you, cracking the earth if the previous cracks have erupted. This effect ends after a secondary duration, or after a maximum number of aftershocks. Requires an Axe, Mace, Sceptre, Staff or Unarmed. Vaal, Attack, AoE, Duration, Slam, Melee
34 Immortal Call Vaal Immortal Call Discharges Endurance Charges, making the character unable to die or gain Vaal souls for a short time, proportional to how many endurance charges were expended. Vaal, Spell, Duration, Guard
1 Vaal Burning Arrow Vaal Burning Arrow Fires an arrow that explodes, dealing fire damage to its target and other nearby enemies, with an increased chance of igniting them. Vaal, Attack, Projectile, AoE, Fire, Bow
1 Vaal Spectral Throw Vaal Spectral Throw Throws several spectral copies of your melee weapon. They fly out and then return to you, in a spinning attack that damages enemies in their path. Vaal, Attack, Projectile
1 Vaal Double Strike Vaal Double Strike Performs two fast strikes with a melee weapon, each of which summons a double of you for a duration to continuously attack monsters in this fashion. Vaal, Attack, Melee, Strike, Duration, Physical
4 Vaal Detonate Dead Vaal Detonate Dead Targets a corpse, and deals spell damage to enemies around the corpse, as well as causing the corpse to explode, dealing fire damage. The explosion is not affected by modifiers to spell damage and cannot be reflected. This will continue to target other corpses in the area, with an increasing delay between each one, until it runs out of corpses or has destroyed 22 corpses. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Fire
12 Vaal Lightning Strike Vaal Lightning Strike nfuses your melee weapon with electrical energies as you swing. In addition to converting some of your physical damage to lightning damage, the stored energy becomes an orb attached to the enemy you hit, or the ground if you don't hit an enemy. The orb will periodically fire projectiles at other nearby enemies for a duration, which will also damage the enemy the orb is attached to. Vaal, Attack, Melee, Strike, Duration, Lightning, Projectile
12 Vaal Blade Vortex Vaal Blade Vortex Creates an independently-moving vortex of ethereal blades which lasts for a duration. The vortex moves toward nearby enemies, repeatedly damaging enemies that it passes through. Critical, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Physical
12 Vaal Rain of Arrows Vaal Rain of Arrows Fires multiple arrows into the air, to land in multiple sequences after a delay, each starting at the targeted location and spreading outwards in all directions. Each arrow deals damage in an area around it. Half of the arrows will land directly on targets if there are targets in their range. Vaal, Attack, AoE, Projectile, Bow
12 Vaal Reave Vaal Reave Repeatedly attacks a large area in different directions. Each Vaal Reave that hits an enemy grants stages, which you will begin to lose after a short period without hitting anything. Only works with Daggers, Claws, and One-Handed Swords. Vaal, Attack, AoE, Melee
24 Vaal Impurity of Ice Vaal Impurity of Ice Casts an aura that reduces cold damage taken and provides freeze and chill immunity to you and nearby allies, and makes hits against nearby enemies ignore their cold resistance. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Cold
24 Vaal Grace Vaal Grace Casts a temporary aura that grants you and your allies additional chance to evade attacks, and makes suppressed spell damage unlucky against you. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration
24 Vaal Haste Vaal Haste Casts a temporary aura that increases the movement speed, attack speed and cast speed of you and your allies. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration
28 Vaal Cyclone Vaal Cyclone Spin and attack in place, damaging nearby enemies and pulling others towards you. While using this skill, you cannot be stunned or knocked back. Cannot be supported by Ruthless. Vaal, Attack, AoE, Duration, Melee, Movement, Channelling, Physical
1 Vaal Blight Vaal Blight Apply a powerful debuff to enemies around you which deals chaos damage over time. Then applies two additional layers in a larger area, growing greatly in size each time. Enemies are also substantially hindered for a shorter secondary duration, slowing their movement. Vaal, Spell, Chaos, AoE, Duration, Nova, Channelling
1 Vaal Fireball Vaal Fireball unches a series of fireballs in a spiral around the caster. Vaal, Projectile, Spell, AoE, Fire
1 Vaal Spark Vaal Spark Continuously launches unpredictable sparks in all directions that move randomly until they hit an enemy or expire. Vaal, Spell, Projectile, Duration, Lightning
10 Vaal Clarity Vaal Clarity Casts a temporary aura that lets you and your allies cast skills without paying their mana costs. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration
10 Lightning Warp Vaal Lightning Warp asts a delayed teleport for nearby enemies to a target destination. When the teleport occurs, lightning damage is dealt to the enemies both before and after they teleport. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Lightning, Movement, Travel
10 Vaal Summon Skeletons Vaal Summon Skeletons Summons an army of skeletal warriors, archers and mages, led by a powerful general. Vaal, Spell, Minion, Duration
12 Vaal Arc Vaal Arc A shocking arc of lightning stretches from the caster to a targeted enemy and chains to other nearby enemies. Each time the beam chains it will also chain simultaneously to a second enemy, but no enemy can be hit twice by the beams. Also grants a buff making you lucky when damaging enemies with Arc for a short duration. Vaal, Spell, Chaining, Lightning, Duration
12 Vaal Ice Nova Vaal Ice Nova A chilling circle of ice expands from the caster, repeating from every enemy it hits. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Cold, Nova
12 Vaal Lightning Trap Vaal Lightning Trap Throws a trap that launches a ring of projectiles through the enemy that set it off, dealing lightning damage to them and subsequent targets and leaving a trail of shocked ground. Trap, Critical, Vaal, Spell, Projectile, Duration, Lightning
12 Vaal Storm Call Vaal Storm Call Sets a marker at a location. Lightning strikes random enemies around the marker repeatedly over the skill's duration, dealing damage in an area around the strike. Modifiers to the skill's duration will also affect the delay between these strikes. When the duration ends, a large bolt of lightning strikes the marker, dealing damage around it. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Lightning
12 Vaal Power Siphon Vaal Power Siphon Fires your wand simultaneously at all nearby enemies, culling those close to death and granting you a power charge for each. Cannot be supported by Volley. Critical, Vaal, Attack, Projectile
16 Vaal Cold Snap Vaal Cold Snap Creates a sudden burst of cold around you, damaging enemies. This also creates a chilling area around you which expands and deals cold damage over time to surrounding enemies in addition to chilling them. Enemies that die while in the area grant Frenzy Charges, and you will passively gain Frenzy Charges while there are enemies in the area. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Cold
16 Vaal Righteous Fire Vaal Righteous Fire Sacrifices a portion of your Life and Energy Shield to engulf you in magical fire that rapidly burns nearby enemies for a duration. Your spell damage is increased while under this effect. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Fire, Duration
24 Vaal Discipline Vaal Discipline Casts a temporary aura that prevents energy shield recharge being delayed by damage taken for you and your allies. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration
24 Vaal Impurity of Lightning Vaal Impurity of Lightning Casts an aura that reduces lightning damage taken and provides shock immunity to you and nearby allies, and makes hits against nearby enemies ignore their lightning resistance. Aura, Vaal, Spell, AoE, Duration, Lightning
28 Vaal Flameblast Vaal Flameblast Targets an area and builds up stages in that area based on cast speed. It explodes every 3 stages, until it reaches a maximum of 15. As it gains more stages, the area gets smaller but the damage gets higher. Vaal, Spell, AoE, Fire, Channelling

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Vaal Skills Changes 3.14

One of the main improvements is that you now get far more souls for Vaal Skills from damaging Unique enemies, so your Vaal Skills will recharge faster against bosses.

  • Vaal Skill Gems can now only be obtained from a set of specific methods such asĀ Corrupting Gems, Vaal Side Areas, Divination Cards (that specifically grant Vaal Skill Gems) and the Lapidary Lens in the Temple of Atzoatl.

It has made a balance pass on damaging Vaal skills, making them a more interesting choice relative to the Vaal skills that provide ongoing buffs. Damaging Vaal skills in particular to have more reasons to be used by a larger variety of builds.

  • The uptime for Vaal skills has been improved via various means. Soul generation on Unique monsters has been increased to 6 souls per 2% life lost, with a 1 second cooldown. This is twice as many souls as before.
  • Damaging Vaal skills have had their Soul Gain Prevention times lowered relative to the duration of the Vaal skill. For Vaal skills that don’t have a duration or ongoing effect the Soul Gain Prevention time is usually just 1 second.
  • Reduced the Vaal Soul Cost and/or increased the Number of Uses on Vaal Skills that had relatively lower impact per use compared to other Vaal skills.
  • A balance pass has been made on all Damaging Vaal Skills. Note in all cases these have been buffs, except for Vaal Righteous Fire Vaal Righteous Fire, which now provides less damage to Spells while active and now sacrifices a larger amount of your total Energy Shield and Life. We felt it was too easy for any Spellcaster to use this skill to get significantly more Spell damage for a long duration, with very little downside. Note the Fire Damage over Time aspect of the skill has been increased, keeping this an attractive option for builds focussing on Burning damage.
  • It has introduced several new unique items and made adjustments to existing ones to either give higher uptime of Vaal skills at some cost or allow you to utilise Vaal skills more easily on builds that struggle to fit them in.

Vaal Skills Builds

  • Atziri’s Reign Atziri’s Reign has been improved for building Vaal Skills. It now grants Vaal Skills a 20% chance to regain consumed Souls.

Vaal Skill Gems Change List

Vaal Skill Changes
Vaal Arc Vaal Arc
  • No longer causes Modifiers to Buff Duration to also apply to this Skill’s Soul Gain Prevention.
  • Now has a Cast Time of 0.7 seconds (previously 0.8).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 2 seconds (previously 6).
Vaal Blade Vortex Vaal Blade Vortex
  • Now deals 11 to 17 Physical Damage at gem level 1 (previously 14 to 20), and 276 to 413 Physical Damage at gem level 20 (previously 331 to 496).
  • Now has added damage effectiveness of 60% (previously 75%).
  • Now hits enemies every 0.2 seconds (previously 0.13).
  • Now has a base duration of 5 seconds (previously 3).
  • Now stores up to 2 uses (previously 1).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 6 seconds (previously 5).
Vaal Blight Vaal Blight
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 7 seconds (previously 8).
Vaal Burning Arrow Vaal Burning Arrow
  • Now expends 15 Souls per use (previously 20).
  • Now stores up to 4 uses (previously 3).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 1 second (previously 2).
Vaal Cold Snap Vaal Cold Snap
  • Now deals 46 to 69 Cold Damage at gem level 1 (previously 35 to 53), and 1571 to 2356 Cold Damage at gem level 20 (previously 1002 to 1502).
  • Now deals 34.3 base Cold Damage per second at gem level 1 (previously 29.4), and 1532.7 base Cold Damage per second at gem level 20 (previously 1495.5).
  • Now has added damage effectiveness of 350% (previously 200%).
  • The base radius of the Hit is now 32 (previously 15).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 6 seconds (previously 8).
Vaal Cyclone Vaal Cyclone
  • Now deals 80% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 50%) and 99% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 61%).
  • Now has 300% of base Attack Speed (previously 400%).
  • Now expends 25 Souls per use (previously 35).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 5 seconds (previously 7).
Vaal Earthquake Vaal Earthquake
  • Now deals 70% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 60%) and 85% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 71%)
  • Ongoing effect now ends after 9 Aftershocks (previously 7).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 9 seconds (previously 12).
Vaal Fireball Vaal Fireball
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 4 seconds (previously 5).
Vaal Flameblast Vaal Flameblast
  • Now deals 120% more Spell Damage for each stage (previously 110%).
  • Now deals 100% more Damage with Ailments for each stage (previously 90%).
  • Now has a base radius of 45 (previously 35).
  • Now has -2 to radius for each stage (previously -1).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 3 seconds (previously 6).
Vaal Ground Slam Vaal Ground Slam
  • This Attack can now be Exerted as though it was not a Vaal Skill.
  • Now deals 250% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 190%) and 400% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 300%).
  • Now stores up to 4 uses (previously 3).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 1 second (previously 2).
Vaal Ice Nova Vaal Ice Nova
  • Now deals 18 to 26 Cold Damage at gem level 1 (previously 11 to 17), and 518 to 762 Cold Damage at gem level 20 (previously 274 to 428).
  • Now has a Cast Time of 0.7 seconds (previously 0.8).
  • Now has added damage effectiveness of 120% (previously 70%).
  • Now stores up to 2 uses (previously 1).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 2 seconds (previously 4).
Vaal Lightning Strike Vaal Lightning Strike
  • Now deals 105% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 80%) and 130% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 98%).
  • Now has a base duration of 6 seconds (previously 8).
  • Now stores 2 uses (previously 1).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 8 seconds (previously 10).
Vaal Lightning Trap Vaal Lightning Trap
  • Now deals 26 to 79 Lightning Damage at gem level 1 (previously 18 to 54) and 686 to 2057 Lightning Damage at gem level 20 (previously 466 to 1399).
  • Now has added damage effectiveness of 250% (previously 170%).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 4 seconds (previously 6).
Vaal Rain of Arrows Vaal Rain of Arrows
  • Now fires 27 additional arrows at gem level 1 (previously 17) and 33 additional arrows at gem level 20 (previously 21).
  • Now fires 4 additional sequences of arrows (previously 3).
Vaal Reave Vaal Reave
  • Now deals 200% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 150%) and 250% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 180%).
  • Now expends 25 Souls per use (previously 35).
  • Now stores up to 3 uses (previously 2).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 2 seconds (previously 4).
Vaal Righteous Fire Vaal Righteous Fire
  • Now deals 80-99% of Sacrificed Energy Shield and Life as Fire Damage per second (previously 161-180%).
  • Now Sacrifices 60% of your total Energy Shield and Life (previously 30%).
  • Now grants 10-19% more Spell Damage (previously 15-28%).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 6 seconds (previously 12).
Vaal Power Siphon Vaal Power Siphon
  • Now grants +25% to Critical Strike Multiplier per Power Charge (previously +10%).
  • Now grants 50% increased Critical Strike Chance per Power Charge (previously 20%).
  • Now stores up to 3 uses (previously 2).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 2 seconds (previously 4).
Vaal Spark Vaal Spark
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 5 seconds (previously 6).
Vaal Spectral Throw Vaal Spectral Throw
  • Now deals 125% of base Attack Damage at gem level 1 (previously 91%) and 170% of base Attack Damage at gem level 20 (previously 135%).
  • Now fires 8 additional projectiles (previously 4).
  • Now expends 15 Souls per use (previously 10).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 4 seconds (previously 6).
Vaal Storm Call Vaal Storm Call
  • Now deals 21 to 38 Lightning Damage at gem level 1 (previously 14 to 26), and 510 to 947 Lightning Damage at gem level 20 (previously 370 to 687).
  • Now has added damage effectiveness of 130% (previously 100%).
  • Now has a Soul Gain Prevention duration of 7 seconds (previously 9).

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