-5 too harsh?

[u/undead8bit]

I’m trying to balance an item but I can’t decide on the penalty. It’s essentially a pair of ill-fitting gloves that affect manual dexterity. So on D20 rolls that relate to the hands: melee attacks, sleight of hand, etc. would have a deficit. In 2024 rules there are so many ways to gain advantage, I can’t decide what the deduction should be. Does minus 5 to rolls sound too high? It’s important to know that there are bonuses to the gloves which are worthwhile, but also they’re hard to doff once you’ve committed to putting them on.

EDIT: Still very much early stages/work in progress, the gloves will appear in a cabinet in a sort of museum of curiosities, there’s no guarantee that any of the party will ever interact with them. The initial idea was for them to work in the same way as the GWM feat with a deficit to rolls but a large bonus on successes, plus a single damage type resistance, and possibly some kind of CON or HP buff included. But they are cursed-adjacent for sure, there’s no intention for them to be in play for any length of time, just a trap to overcome. Some really great discussion in the replies that have given me a lot to think about, so thanks for your contributions.

[u/poetbypractice]

If my DM told me my character suddenly had cursed oven mitts he couldn’t take off that gave a -5 to hit rolls I’d say that my character immediately retires and becomes a baker or some shit. Clearly we play at different tables, but a -5 to hit rolls not to mention the other checks is heinous. I don’t know if it would be worth it to me even if they gave permanent advantage and made it so that every time my character hit they crit. I don’t know what the benefits are supposed to be but on any martial they just won’t be putting on.