making low level uniques more usable at higher levels

It was expressed during the live stream that you guys are trying to come up with a way to make early game uniques with low levels more usable at higher levels. I gave some thought about it and I came up with an idea very similar to what you could do in Diablo 2 using the Horadric Cube recipes.

In Diablo 2, there were three tiers for items in the game: Normal, Nightmare, Hell. In both Path of Exile games, there is a very similar design mentality being implemented. For example in POE2 you have the Crumbling Maul > Disintegration Maul > Ruination Maul.

We all know how much your designs often thrive on crafting currency so why not add a type of VAAL currency that does something similar to those Harodric Cube recipes. A currency that Changes the base item to a different similar item of higher or lower tier also changing/adding the base implicit to the weapon.

Example: Frostbreath in POE2 is a level 10 Slim Mace. Using this hypothetical currency would change it into any potential one handed mace base. Lets say you do and you change it from a Slim Mace to an Akoyan Club. The new Frostbreath not only gets a bump in base physical damage But also now gains the "Always Hits" implicit.


Inversely, say you have the Marohi Erqi which starts out as a Totemic Maul. Not bad but you wished it was Taohwan Great Club base instead. So you use this currency and UH OH! its now an Oak Greathammer.

In both situations, the item becomes corrupted and can not be modified by standard means. And because its a VAAL currency, you can make it turn your uniques into a rare, add random quality or even just outright delete the item.