Can you get 6 socket skill gem if you vaal a 5 socket or is 5 the max ?

5 is the max yes you want +1 level from corruption

You might be getting confused by videos and guides referring to '6 link' or '6L' which is something carried over from POE1.

5 is indeed the max support sockets you can get on a skill in PoE2, corrupting one that already has 5 sockets can potentially add quality, +1 level, -1 level, or remove a socket

Thx all now i am enlightened 👍

6 link is parlance from PoE1. The skill itself is one of the links. So a six linked gem has 5 support sockets.

Vaal is for a cheap +1 socket on a 4 socket gem to make it 5 socket, or endgame you want +1 level on a 5 socket gem.

U vaal it so u don't have go buy or spend the divs for a perfect jewelry u cna use the subsequent jewelers orbs then when u have 4 slots y vaal it and get 5 u spend alot less divs like a whole lot less cuz it only take a.couple.trys I have all full slots cuz I cureuptr a the 4 slots to 5. U cna still upgrade upgrade slots to whatever +20 or more (with outside jewelry or passives or whatever) even thoufh it's corrupted. I think vaal it after is dumb for +1 don't do it if u spent the money or landed a perfect jewelers orbs u could downgrade...trust me u cns get the +1 from so many other means use the vaal to get to 4 to 5 and save the perfect trust me don't listen to others..its way to expensive for lil risk.1 level is nothing at end game trust me...

You can also vaal any 5 support socket gem, get +1 level and then make it level 20. Still an expensive gamble due to perfect jewellers orb but its not as bad