I definitely agree that the “mess with things” type item are much more disruptive than a really powerful weapon.My still active, inaugural 5e campaign is something I have wanted to try for 30 years,
it features the Swords of Power...as inspired by the works of Fred Saberhagen.
Trial and Error experimentation is needed. A weapon like Townsaver....a longsword that becomes a +5 Weapon and grants the wielder something like a Zealot Barbarian's Rage Beyond Death power isn't as difficult to balance, as one may think.
Now, Stonecutter, which as an action could either create a Passwall effect, or
Move Earth effect...was vastly more disruptive than Townsaver.
I personally believe artifacts should place a target on the wielder's back.
A fantasy world church, with a footprint In the campaign similar to the Catholic Church, might be heavily motivated to recover the death shroud of the earthly incarnation of the god they worship. If that artifact is in the hands of the PC, some complications will happen.
I love the Deck of Many things, and have included the artifact in almost every game I have ran. Eventually, someone is going to turn over a malignant card at the wrong time, probably more than once.
This usually leads the players to agree that the deck is too unpredictable to use safely.
For example, I let my players have a cube of force for 1 adventure As I wanted to try it out. Never again...it just completely disrupts normal encounters, you have to make special adjustments or just assume the encounter is auto win.
it was a fun change of pace for an adventure, but would never allow it for a campaign