If you’ve been grinding your way through Last Epoch’s endgame and wondering how to make your Monolith runs even juicier, you’re in the right place. Today, we're diving deep into how to increase Corruption in Last Epoch. Whether you're a seasoned ARPG veteran or a newer player looking to min-max your gear, understanding Corruption is absolutely essential if you want to get those high-tier drops and supercharge your builds.

In this guide, we’re going to break down everything you need to know about Corruption — what it is, how it works, how to farm it properly, and a few real tips that’ll save you hours of painful trial and error. Let’s get started.

What Is Corruption in Last Epoch?
First off, let’s cover the basics: Corruption is a mechanic exclusive to the Monolith of Fates endgame system in Last Epoch. It’s basically a way to ramp up the difficulty of Echoes in exchange for better rewards.

Here’s the quick rundown:

Every point of Corruption increases enemy health and damage.

In return, you get more experience points and higher rarity drops.

Higher Corruption = better loot.

Pretty straightforward, right? But managing it correctly is the real key to becoming a loot god.

Why Should You Care About Corruption?
If you’re serious about gearing up for high-end content, pushing into high Corruption is a no-brainer. The rewards scale dramatically. You’ll see more exalted items, better unique drops, and even higher chances of those juicy legendary potential rolls.

And if you’re the kind of player who likes to flex, reaching 300+, 400+, or even 500+ Corruption is a badge of honor in the Last Epoch community.

Trust me — once you get a taste of those boosted drop tables, you'll never want to run a low Corruption Echo again.

How to Increase Corruption in Last Epoch
Now let’s get into the meat of it: how to increase Corruption in Last Epoch quickly and efficiently.

1. Defeat the Shade of Orobyss
The Shade of Orobyss is your ticket to stacking Corruption. You’ll find this boss by navigating your Echo web all the way to the outer edges where "Echo of a World" nodes appear.

Here's how it works:

Play through Echoes until you see an "Echo of a World."

Enter it and fight the Shade of Orobyss.

Defeating the Shade increases your timeline’s Corruption based on how far that Echo is from your starting point.

Pro Tip: The farther away the Shade is from the Echo Origin, the bigger the Corruption gain. Always aim for the furthest available Shade if you want to maximize your gains.

2. Empowered Monoliths Are Your Friend
Once you clear a normal Monolith timeline, you unlock Empowered versions. In Empowered Timelines, there’s no cap on Corruption — you can push as high as your build allows.

Not only that, but Empowered Shades of Orobyss can drop even better loot, making every Corruption gain even more worth it.

Oh, and here's a secret many players miss: when you defeat an Empowered Timeline boss, you get something called Gaze of Orobyss. Each Gaze you have stacks and multiplies how much Corruption you earn from your next Shade kill.

Stack multiple Gazes before fighting a Shade to get huge Corruption jumps. It's like turbocharging your farming.

Tips to Farm Corruption Faster
Increasing Corruption in Last Epoch isn't just about mindlessly fighting Shades. You need a strategy if you want to do it efficiently.

Here are some real veteran tips:

1. Plan Your Echoes
Don’t waste time clearing random Echoes. Always move towards the outer edges where the next Echo of a World node appears. Speed is key.

2. Build for Speed and Survivability
At higher Corruption, enemies hit like trucks. If your build is pure glass cannon, you’ll hit a wall fast. Invest in defensive layers like leech, armor, and endurance. A dead character earns zero loot.

3. Reset Smartly
If you accidentally over-push your Corruption and it’s becoming impossible to clear Echoes, don’t be afraid to reset.

Go to the Sanctuary of Eterra node near your Echo Origin. Completing it lets you reduce or fully reset your Corruption.

Sometimes taking a step back lets you gear up and push even harder later.

Mistakes to Avoid When Increasing Corruption
Let's be real — most players learn these lessons the hard way. Here’s what NOT to do:

Ignoring Gaze of Orobyss: These are crucial for fast Corruption gains. Don't waste them.

Overstacking Too Early: If your build isn't ready, high Corruption will feel like slamming into a brick wall.

Tunnel Vision: Sometimes it's better to branch sideways and farm a few Echoes for stability before pushing a Shade.

Trust me, patience pays off.

Final Thoughts: Should You Always Push Corruption?
Honestly, not always. If your build is underdeveloped or if you’re still farming critical uniques, you might be better off hanging around moderate Corruption levels until you’re stronger.

But if your goal is pure power — max gear, top-tier loot, and leaderboard-worthy characters — then learning how to increase Corruption in Last Epoch efficiently is non-negotiable.

Also, if you ever feel like you’re falling behind in gear while pushing high Corruption, it’s totally fine to buy Last Epoch gold through a trusted platform like PVPBank. Just make sure to use a reputable source to avoid account risks. A little gold can go a long way in optimizing your character and getting back into the grind faster.

Quick FAQ on Corruption in Last Epoch
Q: How high can Corruption go?
A: There’s no hard cap in Empowered Monoliths. Players have reached well over 1,000 Corruption, but anything past 400-500 is already brutal for most builds.

Q: Can I lower Corruption if it gets too hard?
A: Yes. Complete the Sanctuary of Eterra node to reset or reduce your timeline’s Corruption.

Q: Is Corruption worth farming in normal timelines?
A: It's okay for practice, but serious loot farmers focus on Empowered Timelines where the real rewards are.

Closing Thoughts
Pushing Corruption isn’t just about flexing; it’s about squeezing every last drop of value out of your Monolith runs. It keeps Last Epoch’s endgame spicy, challenging, and ridiculously rewarding.

So next time you log in, don’t just run Echoes mindlessly — aim to beat the Shade, manage your Gaze stacks, and crank that Corruption meter sky high.

Good luck out there, traveler. May your loot be god-tier and your builds unstoppable.