But the other interpretation can be just as interesting, with a sufficiently skilled player. It’s a multifaceted faction, and to act like they exist purely for altruism and charity is to undermine that IMO.

Dunno, I think this version actually gives you something to do in game that makes sense and doesn’t make you a jerk to be around- “Life is empty” and “I don’t care” wears on the other PCs pretty fast, but wrap that in some steadfast altruism, and then you’ve got something that’s actually a pretty solid team member.

Welp, sorry to disappoint you.

Yeah, Equality probably isn’t the best one-word blurb.

I feel like the Ideals here do lack a lot of the variety that makes the Planescape factions so compelling – every single one of them can be used to justify good or evil, depending on the individual. The Ideals here should, ideally, serve to represent this duality. It’s particularly true here about the Bleakers – while the 2e sourcebooks played up their nihilism too much and downplayed their charity, I feel like this version does the opposite, presenting the meaninglessness of existence as little more than a justification for charity. Obviously, the Bleakers are going to include good samaritans and evil nihilists in equal measure, with most members being somewhere in between.

Of course, this is all nitpicking – the mechanical meat of these is good, and obviously if I were playing a good Taker or evil Bleaker I’d just write my own ideals. Still, the duality of the Factions is something I think any Planescape content should try to touch on.

Ideals are one sentences blurbs. Any complex idea is going to be oversimplified unless you further expound on it as a concept. I am pretty certain no one is going to fit existentialism in six bullet points.

I also fundamentally disagree with your interpretations that it’s as easy as bleakers good, takers bad.

For example,take this bleaker ideal:
Authentic. Live in accordance with the self you create (any)
There is absolutely nothing there that says the self you create needs to be positive. It just means if you are going to be selfish, then live selfishly. Don’t pretend to be altruistic if you are not.

On the flip side, the takers have an explicitly good ideal, but several of their lawful/any ideals can be interpreted in myriad ways:
Earned. Everything I have, I earned (any)
Hard work will pay off is an easy way to interpret that. Taken a step further, it’s easy to see how a Taker might instruct others through lectures, lessons, examples, etc. to follow in her footsteps.

I also don’t agree that the Takers, even good Takers, would much agree in the ideal of Equality.

Sure. I can give it a second pass.

Excellent points. I still think the “aid isn’t earned” thing could be phrased more clearly.

A lot of what belongs where is open to personal interpretation. The same is true of the backgrounds that appear in the PHB, in my opinion. Not all personality traits are positive in those lists, and the difference between some of the traits/flaws is fairly minimal. Likewise, the ideals overlap in a lot of areas, etc.

For that specific flaw of “aid isn’t earned, it’s given” the idea is the Bleaker lends assistance to those who “don’t deserve it” from an observer’s perspective. Many would see that sort of action as a flaw.

The Fated intentionally have a lot of equipment. It’s very much in theme for them.