What does corruption actually do?

[woskis9161]

I've no idea, and the description of the Vaal's Orb isn't helping much.

[Arawn]

Vaal Orbs are a currency item that can corrupt an item, causing unpredictable and possibly powerful results. Once an item is corrupted, it can no longer be modified with currency. This includes restoring imprints from an Eternal Orb

Corruption yields one of many possible outcomes and has different effects depending on what type of item it is. Corruption is currently the only way to obtain white sockets, certain implicit modifiers, skill gems with level or quality higher than 20, maps with eight mods, and various other exotic item states.

Corruption may as well change the rarity, sockets, and links of an item, as well as downgrade unique item to the rare one with the same base type. So as stated in the patch notes, they should be used with caution on expensive items.

When using Vaal Orbs on a Strongbox some or all of the items within the Strongbox will become corrupted.

Source [pathofexile.gamepedia.com]

[woskis9161]

@Arawn I corrupted one of my swords, but I noticed no change besides the White Socket.

[Phillybear]

Vaal orbs can change a lot, but it's also possible that they change nothing at all. They can even turn uniques into rares or give uniques new implicit mods. (e.g. Bows can get the implicit "+1 arrow" mod).
White sockets are very useful because you can put any color of gem in them.
In short, Vaal Orbs can give you awesome items, but they can also turn an awesome item into vendor trash.

[Lagwin1980]

Corrupting an item can destroy it,uniques made in to rares, breaking links removing sockets or quality...don't even think they had a limit on just how badly an item can be broken, it's entierly possible that you can turn something good into a trash white item.

That being said it can also do absolutly nothing but adding corrupted to the item meaning it's can be altered

Or you can get skills baked into the item like level 12 clarity , gems can be made higher quality than the normal max of 20% or be given higher than max level(level 23 gem rather than level 20)

[MR.hyde]

Originally posted by Arawn:

they should be used with caution on expensive items.

u cant use em with caution, cause if u use em with caution u would make an imprint BUT imprints are useless once u corrupted an item :/