Establishes the mandatory protocol for identifying and invoking relevant skills before generating any response or taking action. It enforces a 'check-first' workflow to ensure appropriate process and implementation skills are applied to every user request.
Say it in your own words; the assistant finds this recipe by itself. Examples:
Use this skill at the very beginning of any conversation or when a new user request is received. It is required before answering clarifying questions, exploring codebases, or executing any task to ensure the correct specialized skill is identified and loaded.
IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.
This is not negotiable. You cannot rationalize your way out of this.
Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action — including clarifying questions, exploring the codebase, or checking files. If it turns out wrong for the situation, you don't have to use it.
Before entering plan mode: if you haven't already brainstormed, invoke the brainstorming skill first.
Then announce "Using [skill] to [purpose]" and follow the skill exactly. If it has a checklist, create a todo per item.
When multiple skills apply, process skills come first — they set the approach, then implementation skills (frontend-design, etc.) carry it out. Brainstorming and systematic-debugging are Superpowers' most common process skills, but the rule holds for any of them.
These thoughts mean STOP—you're rationalizing:
| Thought | Reality |
|---|---|
| "This is just a simple question" | Questions are tasks. Check for skills. |
| "I need more context first" | Skill check comes BEFORE clarifying questions. |
| "Let me explore the codebase first" | Skills tell you HOW to explore. Check first. |
| "I can check git/files quickly" | Files lack conversation context. Check for skills. |
| "Let me gather information first" | Skills tell you HOW to gather information. |
| "This doesn't need a formal skill" | If a skill exists, use it. |
| "I remember this skill" | Skills evolve. Read current version. |
| "This doesn't count as a task" | Action = task. Check for skills. |
| "The skill is overkill" | Simple things become complex. Use it. |
| "I'll just do this one thing first" | Check BEFORE doing anything. |
| "This feels productive" | Undisciplined action wastes time. Skills prevent this. |
| "I know what that means" | Knowing the concept ≠ using the skill. Invoke it. |
If your harness appears here, read its reference file for special instructions:
references/claude-code-tools.mdreferences/codex-tools.mdreferences/pi-tools.mdreferences/antigravity-tools.mdreferences/hermes-tools.mdreferences/muse-tools.mdUser instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, etc, direct requests) take precedence over skills, which in turn override default behavior. Only skip skill workflows or instructions when your human partner has explicitly told you to.
LICENSESKILL.mdreferences/antigravity-tools.mdreferences/claude-code-tools.mdreferences/codex-tools.mdreferences/gemini-tools.mdreferences/hermes-tools.mdreferences/muse-tools.mdreferences/pi-tools.mdVendored from obra/superpowers, commit b739a8af570e, path skills/using-superpowers, licence MIT. The upstream licence file ships inside the skill.