There’s Always A Downside
One of my favorite speculative fiction TV shows is Warehouse 13. If you’re unfamiliar with show, the premise involves a secret group that investigates, recovers, stores, and otherwise safeguards historical artifacts imbued with special powers. When occasionally asked by others why the “good guys” (Warehouse agents) don’t make use of the artifacts in their course of business, main character Artie often explains that the beneficial or useful power of an artifact almost always comes at the cost of a detrimental effect. Or, as he oft put it more succinctly: “There’s always a downside!”
There is even a Season 4 episode titled “There’s Always A Downside.” In this episode there are several good examples:
• Scott Joplin’s Cigarette Case alleviates painful memories but physically damages the user over time.
• Bobby Fisher’s Bag of Marbles provides intense focus and drive but turns the user violent and insane.
• Magellan’s Astrolable (part of a season story arc) turns back time (to avoid calamity) but unleahess a terrible evil.
Some other examples:
• Mary Mallon’s (aka Typhoid Mary) Butcher Knife cures disease but transfers it to someone else.
• PT Barnum’s Top can regrow limbs, but those limbs might not stop growing.
• John A Macready’s sunglasses make the wearer invisible but then blind the wearer for twice as long as they were invisible.
Note that in the Warehouse 13 universe there are also plenty of artifacts that only have a downside, and even some relatively weak or minor ones that seem don’t have a downside.
The idea that there is always a downside is a key component of how I home brew magic items in my campaigns. Overall, I prefer unique magic items vs. the standard “official” offerings available through WotC. While there are some good third party sources of unique items available, I like to create items that have more connections to the characters, the story arcs, and campaign world history.
Also, many WotC and third party magic items are binary, i.e., they are either beneficial or cursed. I prefer a magic item, at least a more powerful item (vs. some single use, singular power, and/or low power items) to be more of a “mixed bag.” Meaning there might be a downside. Not always, but often. That approach makes sense to me: A powerful magical item should be inherently risky.
One of the simplest downside is that an item has limited uses within a certain time period, e.g., three uses per long rest, five charges each day, etc. Or perhaps there is a specific or inconvenient way to re-power the item, e.g., stick in lava, dip in the tears of a giant, etc. Some items might simply become permanently unpowered after a limited number of uses. The TTRPG Numenera, for example, features many single use items called Cyphers. When I ran my Numenera campaign, players really enjoyed finding creative and timely ways to utilize their Cyphers.
A related downside is that any item might have a chance of not working or might becoming permanently useless. For example, a staff that has a 1 in 6 change of not working upon activation. And a 1 in 20 chance it breaks permanently and become useless.
Another possibility is that the item does not perform as expected. For example, I created Widom’s Wand of Transformation (named after my excellent college chemistry instructor, Professor Benjamin Widom). It enables casters to transform one type of evocation or elemenral magic into another, e.g., a Fire Bolt into acid, etc. One downside might be that there’s a 1 in 6 chance the wand transforms the magic into a random, different type than the one intended. I personally prefer to make downsides related to the actual functions of the item. But other folks might prefer to add more random, unconnected downsides, e.g., a 1 in 10 chance that using the wand causes a Wild Magic surge.
Having the a magic item erroneously effect the user instead of a target can be an interesting downside. For example, I created an artifact with powers that include temporarily displacing a target from time (and reality). The target disappears, then reappears 1 to 6 rounds later. However, there is a slight chance that the artifact will effect the user instead.
Unintended lasting effects or even permanency is a downside that can cause interesting complications ranging from serious to humorous. For example, an item that enables the user to change appearance might come with a chance that the user is stuck with that appearance for longer than planned. I created Debok’s Arm Bracers of Long Arms that enables the wearer to make their arms temporarily up to ten feet long. Imagine the complications if the user ended up stuck with that condition.
Downsides can also alter the user’s behavior or personality. Again, I prefer connecting these downsides to the actual function or history of the item. I created an amulet that aids the wear when they are flanked or surrounded by enemies. The downside is that it makes the wearer more reckless and interested in taking on groups of enemies, i.e., they must make a Wisdom Saving Throw when they see a 3 or more enemies or rush immediately into battle. Another ring, forged by a cowardly wizard, provides several helpful spells for fleeing, e.g., Misty Step. However, it slowly makes the wearer more cowardly.
Finally, remember to consider carefully the nature and severity of the downsides. Some downsides might merely be inconvenient or comical. Other risks might be lethal. I suggest trying to match your campaign and player styles. My group loved when a bird call whistle caused a character to sprout a long toucan nose. But such silliness might seem out of place in a more gritty, apocalyptic setting. As you often hear a lot when it comes to TTRPG homebrewing: your mileage may vary…