Vaal side area

A Vaal side area

A Vaal side area is a randomly-generated optional area indicated by a glowing, beating heart and swirling ribbons of blood. Every corrupted area contains a boss, guarding a Vaal Vessel that drops Vaal Skill Gems, Vaal Fragments, and corrupted equipment. At least one Vaal skill gem is guaranteed to drop. Near the vessel, there is a Vaal Letter or Research Journal, which provides Vaal-related lore.

Vaal side areas have their own exclusive set of modifiers, similar to end-game maps, which substantially increase their difficulty. Vaal side areas found in act zones have 1 to 2 affixes (magic), while Vaal side areas found in maps spawn with 4 to 6 affixes (rare). They also have an implicit modifier that adds a number of packs of Corrupted Vaal monsters. Vaal side areas have the Corrupted modifier by default making them uncraftable, but the Lucid Dreams Atlas keystone passive causes them to spawn uncorrupted in the player's maps, allowing them to be modified with regular crafting currency. Entering a Vaal side area will automatically cause it to become corrupted.

A variation known as an Alluring Vaal side area can be accessed in maps. Alluring areas have different implicit modifiers: Vaal Vessel contains Mortal Fragments, 60% more Monster Damage, Monsters in Area are at least MagicUpgradedVaalSideArea
Intrinsic
Vaal Vessel contains Mortal Fragments
60% more Monster Damage
Monsters in Area are at least Magic. They can only spawn if the player allocates For Love of the Queen Atlas Notable, or uses a special Map Device craft. If an Alluring Vaal side area is chanced or corrupted to the Endless Nightmare unique side area, the implicit modifiers inherent to Alluring areas are retained. If a portal to another Nightmare area spawns at the end, this new area will not be Alluring.

Due to the small size of the area, most league mechanics are generally disabled from spawning during challenge leagues. Masters, Vaal side areas, and Trials of Ascendancy also cannot spawn in Vaal side areas. Notable exceptions which CAN spawn inside include Strongboxes, Shrines, Rogue exiles and Tormented Spirits. Many of the Vaal side area bosses were also formerly Invasion bosses.

A Vaal fragment or Mortal Fragment can be used in the Map Device to generate a random Vaal side area of a fixed area level. Vaal side areas that appear in maps or acts will have the same area level of their parent zone. When a portal to another Endless Nightmare appears in Endless Nightmare, both will have the same area level.

Vaal side areas do not spawn in Ruthless mode.

List of Vaal side areas

Vaal side areas in act zones spawn based on the zone it spawned in. Areas found in maps are chosen randomly.

This page or section needs to be reworked to make use of Extension:Cargo instead of listing data manually.

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Name	Locations found in	Entrance Type	Boss Name	Boss Abilities	No Stone Unturned Text
Abandoned Dam	The Dried Lake	Wall	Quetzerxi (Dust Scrabbler)	Lightning cloud, 5-7 projectile stream of lightning in a nova	"Atziri is my love and my life. I give..."
Ancient Catacomb	The Dried Lake	Floor	Commander of Flesh (Pale Blackguard)	Spawns zombies, Blood Rage, Wild Strike	"Queen Atziri forfeited her sovereignty the day..."
Arcane Chambers	The Lunaris Temple Level 1 (Act 3), The Lunaris Temple Level 2 (Act 3)	Wall	Beheader Ataguchu (based off Q'ura from Apex of Sacrifice)	Corrupting Blood, Cyclone, Cleave	"What did I say? What did I do? I flattered..."
Blind Alley	The Quay, The Grain Gate	Wall	M'gaska, the Living Pyre (Totem)	Casts Flameblast, Spawns Summon Raging Spirit Totems	"Atziri is my love and my life. I give..."
Clouded Ledge	The Ridge	Wall	Simi, the Nature Touched (Chieftain)	Allies do Additional Lightning/Fire/Cold Damage, Soul Eater, Summons spectre Apes	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Clouded Ridge	Map Device		Konu, Maker of Wind (Goatman)	Quick, Fast Attacks, Leap Slam with Fire Explosion, Life Leech	“A ring. Plated, not even solid silver. That’s...”
Concealed Caldarium	The Bath House	Wall	Cava, Artist of Pain (Whipping Miscreation)	Lightning Storm, 360° Lightning Strike, Vulnerability on Hit	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Concealed Cavity	The Coast (Act 6), The Tidal Island (Act 6)	Floor, Wall	The All-seeing Eye (Watcher)	Charge up laser, Casts Arc, Casts Spark, Casts Conductivity	“Atziri promises us eternal life. The only...”
Covered-up Hollow	The Den (Act 2), The Fellshrine Ruins (Act 2), The Den (Act 7), The Fellshrine Ruins (Act 7), The Sarn Ramparts	Floor	Cintiq, the Inescapable (Spider)	Faster Attacks, Flicker Strike, Ethereal Knives	“There was no escape for me. Should our Queen...”
Cremated Archives	The Torched Courts (Act 5), The Torched Courts (Act 10)	Wall	Exartze, the Woven Stone (Twisted Effigy)	Beacon, Glacial Cascade	“I am Templar Thaumaturgist Davaro, ...”
Deathly Chambers	The Ossuary (Act 5), The Ossuary (Act 10)	Wall	Harbinger of Disorder (Prayer Guard)	Vaal Spark, burning ground, fire mortar	“I have been plagued by a sickness as of late. ...”
Desolate Isle	The Boiling Lake	Coast (little dock)	Wiraqucha, Ancient Guardian (Snake)	Smoke Mine and summons many Spectres of himself	“I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh...”
Desolate Track	The Ascent, The Descent	Wall	Quetzerxi (Dust Scrabbler)	Lightning cloud, 5-7 projectile stream of lightning in a nova	“For seven years I advised. For seven...”
Disused Furnace	The Crematorium	Wall	Curator Miem (Undying Incinerator)	Firestorm that follows you	“I should have drawn the last breath from him. Yet...”
Dusty Bluff	Map Device,The Oasis		Quetzerxi (Dust Scrabbler)	Lightning cloud, 5-7 projectile stream of lightning in a nova	"For seven years I advised. For seven..."
Entombed Alcove	The Crypt Level 1, The Crypt Level 2	Sarcophagus marked by blood	Shrapnelbearer (Vaal Construct)	Far Shot, Chaos Ice Nova (Applies Chaos Degen)	"Atziri is my love and my life. I give..."
Entombed Chamber	The Catacombs	Sarcophagus marked by blood	Ossecati, Boneshaper (Colossal Bonestalker)	Infernal Blow, Summon Vaal Skeletons	“Queen Atziri forfeited her sovereignty the day...”
Evacuated Quarter	The Grand Promenade, Bone Crypt Map	Wall	Curator Miem (Undying Incinerator)	Firestorm that follows you	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Flooded Complex	The Causeway	Wall	M'gaska, the Living Pyre (Totem)	Casts Flameblast, Spawns Summon Raging Spirit Totems	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Forbidden Archives	The Templar Courts	Wall	Exartze, the Woven Stone (Twisted Effigy)	Beacon, Glacial Cascade	“I am Templar Thaumaturgist Davaro, ...”
Forbidden Chamber	The Vaal Ruins, The Caverns, The Ancient Pyramid, The Vaal City	Wall	Haviri, Vaal Metalsmith (Vaal Fallen)	3 Totems (either Ethereal Knives, Flame Totem, Firestorm, Freezing Pulse, Shock Nova, Storm Call)	“For seven years I advised. For seven...”
Forbidden Shrine	The Temple of Decay Level 1, The Temple of Decay Level 2	Wall	Shrapnelbearer (Vaal Construct)	Far Shot, Chaos Ice Nova (Applies Chaos Degen)	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Forgotten Conduit	The Aqueduct, The Blood Aqueduct, Laboratory Map	Sewer Opening	Torrent of Fear (Maelström)	Summons water elementals, Multiple Projectiles	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Forgotten Gulch	The Foothills	Spans ledge	Curator Miem (Undying Incinerator)	Firestorm that follows you	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Forgotten Oubliette	The Lower Prison (Act 6), Shavronne's Tower	Floor	Coniraya, Shadow of Malice (Spectral Bowman)	Rain of Arrows that shocks ground on landing	“Atziri promises us eternal life. The only...”
Haunted Mineshaft	The Mines Level 1, The Mines Level 2, The Crystal Veins, The Tunnel	Floor	Calxipher (Voll's Fallen)	Flame Totem, Magma Orb with Chain, Flame Dash	“I should have drawn the last breath from him. Yet...”
Hidden Patch	The Old Fields, The Crossroads (Act 2), The Broken Bridge (Act 2), The Broken Bridge (Act 7), The Crossroads (Act 7), The Ashen Fields, The Imperial Fields	Wall	Thornrunner (Spine Serpent)	Proximity Shield, Lesser Multiple Projectiles, Puncture, Spike Firestorm	“I should have drawn the last breath from him. Yet...”
Inner Grounds	The Imperial Gardens	Wall	Inti of the Blood Moon (Avian Retch)	Soul Eater, Quick, Spawns miniature Avian Retches	“A ring. Plated, not even solid silver. That’s...”
Moonlit Chambers	The Lunaris Temple Level 1 (Act 8), The Lunaris Temple Level 2 (Act 8)	Wall	Beheader Ataguchu (based off Q'ura from Apex of Sacrifice)	Corrupting Blood, Cyclone, Cleave	"What did I say? What did I do? I flattered..."
Mystical Clearing	The Riverways	Wall	Simi, the Nature Touched (Chieftain)	Allies do Additional Lightning/Fire/Cold Damage, Soul Eater, Summons spectre Apes	“I was to wither away in darkness. My queen...”
Narrow Ravine	The Western Forest (Act 2), The Wetlands (Act 2), The Western Forest (Act 6), The Wetlands (Act 6)	Wall	Kamaq, Soilmaker (Devourer)	Lightning Balls, Faster Attacks, Far Shot, Resists Elemental Damage, Resists Chaos	“I am but a crude reflection of our Queen...”
Neglected Cellar	The Marketplace, The Battlefront, The Ebony Barracks, The Grain Gate, The Imperial Fields, The Lunaris Concourse, The Solaris Concourse	Floor	Rima, Deep Temptress (Siren's Daughter)	Throws multiple Freezing Pulse and Ice Nova traps, Ice Storm, Slows Enemies	"Our queen has demanded we look into the gems..."
Quarantined Quarters	The Slums	Wall	The Sunburst Queen (Carrion Queen)	Extra Projectiles, 360° Fireball, Single Massive Fireball shot, Added Fire Damage	“I was to wither away in darkness. My queen...”
Radiant Pools	The Mud Flats (Act 6), The Karui Fortress		Perquil the Lucky (Cannibal)	Lightning Spectral Throw, Longer duration Storm Call markers.	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Reclaimed Barracks	The Control Blocks	Wall	Huitepa the Blind (Undying)	Sunder, Lightning ball 360º Totem	"The artefacts which High Templar Dominus returned..."
Remote Gulch	Prisoner's Gate (Act 1), The Ship Graveyard, The Coast (Act 6), Prisoner's Gate (Act 6), The Beacon	Wall	Sheaq, Maker of Floods (Goatman Shaman)	Casts Fireball with Greater Multiple Projectiles and Fork), Casts Spark	"What did I say? What did I do? I flattered..."
Restricted Collection	The Reliquary (Act 5), The Reliquary (Act 10)	Floor	Iorphia, Dream Eater (Wraith)	Essence Drain, Essence Drain Nova	“My beautiful Queen is all I see. She dwells...”
Restricted Gallery	The Library, The Archives, The High Gardens	Floor (Sceptre of God Stairs)	Ch'aska, Maker of Rain (based off A'alai from Apex of Sacrifice)	Rain of Arrows, Pierce	"What did I say? What did I do? I flattered..."
Sacred Chambers	The Solaris Temple Level 1 (Act 3), The Solaris Temple Level 2 (Act 3), The Solaris Temple Level 1 (Act 8), The Solaris Temple Level 2 (Act 8)	Wall (stairs)	Shadow of Vengeance (Unique Animated Guardian)	Animate Weapon type minions, Spectral Throw	“I am but a crude reflection of our Queen...”
Sealed Basement	Oriath Square, The Ruined Square, The Ravaged Square, The Canals, The Feeding Trough	Wall	Guraq, Daylight's Blade	Lesser Multiple Projectiles Spectral Throw, Flame Totem	"I am Templar Thaumaturgist Davaro, ..."
Sealed Corridors	The Sceptre of God, The Upper Sceptre of God	Wall	Wiraq, the Impaler (based off Y'ara'az from Apex of Sacrifice)	Dual Strike, Extra fire damage, Berserker	“For seven years I advised. For seven...”
Sealed Repository	The Crypt (Act 7)	Wall	Inti of the Blood Moon (Avian Retch)	Soul Eater, Quick, Spawns miniature Avian Retches	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Secluded Canal	Oriath Square, The Ruined Square, The Ravaged Square, The Canals, The Feeding Trough	Wall	Xuatl, Cutting Wind (Blackguard)	Ice Spear, Split Arrow, Barrage	“The artefacts which High Templar Dominus returned...”
Secluded Copse	The Northern Forest (Act 2), The Weaver's Chambers, The Dread Thicket (Act 2), The Riverways (Act 6), The Beacon, The Northern Forest (Act 7), The Dread Thicket (Act 7)	Wall	Kutec, Vaal Fleshsmith (Vaal Fallen)	Casts Desecrate, Flesh Offering, Raise Zombie, Detonate Dead and Punishment	"Our queen has demanded we look into the gems..."
Secret Laboratory	The Chamber of Sins Level 1 (Act 2), The Chamber of Sins Level 2 (Act 2), The Chamber of Sins Level 1 (Act 7), The Chamber of Sins Level 2 (Act 7),	Wall	Atziri's Pride (Miscreation)	Casts Arctic Armour, Unrighteous Fire, Lightning Warp	“There was no escape for me. Should our Queen...”
Shifting Sands	The Vastiri Desert, The Oasis	Wall	Wiraq, the Impaler (based off Y'ara'az from Apex of Sacrifice)	Dual Strike, Extra fire damage, Berserker	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Side Chapel	The Cathedral Rooftop (Act 5), The Cathedral Rooftop (Act 10)	Wall	Daluatti, Stoneraiser (Vendigo)	Cleave, Flicker Strike, Spawns stationary Blade Vortex,spawns patches of spiking ground that inflicts Corrupted Blood	“My beautiful Queen is all I see. She dwells...”
Stagnant Canal	The Docks, The Harbour Bridge	Coast (little dock)	Wiraqucha, Ancient Guardian (Snake)	Smoke Mine and summons many Spectres of himself	“There was no escape for me. Should our Queen...”
Strange Sinkhole	The Cavern of Wrath, The Cavern of Anger (Act 1), The Coast (Act 6), The Tidal Island (Act 6), The Karui Fortress, The Cavern of Anger (Act 6)	Floor	Mother of the Hive (Sand spitter)	Has "Allies Cannot Die", spawns lots of sand spitters	“Atziri promises us eternal life. The only...”
Sunken Shingle	The Ship Graveyard, The Mud Flats (Act 6), The Beacon, The Brine King's Reef	Coast (little dock)	Perquil the Lucky (Cannibal)	Lightning Spectral Throw, Longer duration Storm Call markers.	"I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh..."
Twisted Inquisitorium	The Chamber of Innocence, The Desecrated Chambers	Wall	Anacuacotli, Death's Worship (Blessed Sister)	Summon Raging Spirit, dark Fireball nova	“I have been plagued by a sickness as of late. ...”
Walled-off Ducts	The Sewers, The Toxic Conduits, Doedre's Cesspool	Wall	Cava, Artist of Pain (Whipping Miscreation)	Lightning Storm, 360° Lightning Strike, Vulnerability on Hit	“I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh...”
Isolated Sound					“For seven years I advised. For seven...”
Frozen Springs					“I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh...”
Suffocating Fissure			M'gaska, the Living Pyre		“I had nothing. I was nothing. I sold my flesh...”

List of unique Vaal side areas

Unique Vaal side areas can be obtained by chancingOrb of ChanceStack Size: 20Upgrades a normal item to a random rarityRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it. a normal Vaal side area (approximately 400 attempts on average) or by vaalingVaal OrbStack Size: 20Corrupts an item, modifying it unpredictablyRight click this item then left click an item to corrupt it. Corrupted items cannot be modified again. an uncorrupted area (approximately 4-10%) with Lucid Dreams allocated. Omen of FortuneOmen of FortuneWill be Consumed when you use an Orb of Chance
on an item which can become Unique to ensure it does soEach player can only consume one Omen in each combat area., Ancient OrbAncient OrbStack Size: 20Reforges a unique equipment as another of the same item classRight click this item then left click a unique item to apply it., and Tainted Mythic OrbTainted Mythic OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably either upgrades a corrupted item to unique rarity or destroys itRight click this item then left click a corrupted item to apply it. Cannot apply to Maps. do not work as a Vaal side area is not an item.

• Endless Nightmare
• Grand Dreams
• Bane of Chaos

The areas are weighted differently in frequency, with Endless Nightmare > Grand Dreams > Bane of Chaos.. A sample of 50 chance/scour gave an estimated distribution of 60%/35%/5%.

List of Vaal side area modifiers

Main page: List of vaal side area modifiers

Related Atlas passive skills

The following Atlas passive skills are related to Vaal side areas:

Name	Stats
Lucid Dreams	Vaal Side Areas in your Maps are no longer Corrupted [1]
Vaal Side Area Chance	Your Maps have +2% chance to contain a Vaal Side Area [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
For Love of the Queen	Your Maps have +4% chance to contain a Vaal Side Area Vaal Side Areas in your Maps have 20% chance to be an Alluring Vaal Side Area [1]
Unimaginable Horrors	Unique Bosses in Vaal Side Areas in your Maps have 100% more Life Unique Bosses in Vaal Side Areas in your Maps deal 30% more Damage Vaal Side Areas in your Maps have 20% chance for Rewards from Vaal Vessels to be Duplicated [1]

Version history

Version	Changes
3.25.0	The Battering Vaal Side Area modifier can no longer appear.
3.24.0	Map subareas no longer have +1 to Area Level.
3.22.0	When adding the new Lucid Dreams Keystone Atlas Passive, we also took time to review Vaal Side Areas in Maps and the modifiers present on them. All modifiers, except one, no longer grant additional packs of Corrupted Vaal Monsters. This has been moved to be an Implicit modifier instead. Modifiers with upsides no longer have Increased Item Quantity or Item Corruption Chance, unless that is the only thing they do. Modifiers with downsides no longer have variable Item Corruption Chance. This is now a fixed value relative to the perceived difficulty of the modifier. Vaal Side Areas can no longer roll regular Map modifiers. Modifiers that add extra Monsters are now Suffixes. The Explicit Item Corruption Chance modifier has been removed. The values provided by modifiers have also been rebalanced. Added some new modifiers, including one that causes Vaal Vessels to contain an additional Level 21 Corrupted Gem. We've also added 3 new Unique Vaal Side Areas. Happy hunting!
3.16.0	Fixed a client crash that could occur when entering Vaal Side Areas.
3.13.0	New vaal side areas are added to the game to pair with new maps. [Undocumented This change was not documented by any official sources. It was discovered through player testing or datamining.]
3.11.0	Fixed a bug where one of the new Vaal Side Areas didn't actually look like a Vaal Side Area when you went inside.
3.10.0	Vaal Side Areas found in maps and those created by placing individual Vaal fragments in the map device now count as map areas for the purposes of map drops and other mechanics which interact with map areas. They now generate as 'rare' areas, meaning they will always have 4 to 6 modifiers on their area. Vaal Side Areas opened via placing an individual fragment in the map device are now 1 level higher across the board. The values on the area modifiers are now similar to those found on maps of a similar level. Added many new mods that can appear on Vaal side areas, including several that can influence the items and rewards found in those areas. Elemental and Physical Damage Reflection modifiers can no longer appear for these areas. Increased the number of monsters found in all map-level Vaal side areas. Monsters normally found in Incursion encounters will now also be found in Vaal side areas. Side area bosses now have Life pools similar to other unique monsters found in maps.
3.9.0	Maps now have a 10% chance to contain a Vaal Side Area.
3.3.0	Vaal vessels found in Vaal side areas or by placing a Vaal fragment in the map device now drop more items.
3.1.0	Atlas-only item basetypes can no longer be found in Vaal side areas.
3.0.0	Added 8 Vaal side areas with new bosses, found through areas in Oriath.
Unknown	Now has a reddish filter applies to all vaal side areas. [Undocumented This change was not documented by any official sources. It was discovered through player testing or datamining.]
2.0.0	"No Stone Unturned" is now broken up by act. Many new pieces of environmental lore are included, such as the Vaal Letters found in corrupted areas, as well as content in Act 4 and earlier acts.
1.1.0	Introduced to the game.