Intelligent Item or Artifact?
In many ways, artifacts are similar to intelligent items. They both possess a spark of sentience and have their own personalities. So how do you figure out when to use an artifact and when to use an intelligent item?
Artifacts can be incredibly important in a campaign, and they have strong desires and agendas. If a player character has an artifact, that artifact isn’t really under the PC’s control—it has a strong will of its own. If you need a centerpiece to wrap the events of your campaign around, use an artifact.
Intelligent items are less significant. They don’t have powers like artifacts do, so you don’t need to closely monitor the power level of an intelligent item. You can use an intelligent item to give subtle hints or to serve as a sort of mentor. An intelligent item is more like a character’s sidekick than a powerful force in its own right. If you just want to give a PC sword that talks, use an intelligent item.