Superpowers Activation Protocol
Core Philosophy
"If a skill exists for your task, you MUST use it. No exceptions. No rationalizations."
Skills encode proven solutions. Ignoring them means repeating solved problems.
Mandatory First Response Protocol
Before ANY action, complete this mental checklist:
□ What skills might apply here?
□ Have I checked the skill registry?
□ Did I read the CURRENT version (not memory)?
□ Am I following it exactly?The Golden Rules
1. Skills Are Not Optional
If a relevant skill exists → USE IT.
- "This is just a simple question" → Still check for skills
- "I can do this quickly" → Skills exist because "quick" becomes complex
- "The skill is overkill" → Use it anyway
2. Always Announce Skill Usage
"I'm using [Skill Name] to [what you're doing]."3. Checklists Require TodoWrite
If a skill has a checklist → Create todos for EACH item. Don't work through checklists mentally. Track them.
4. Instructions ≠ Permission to Skip Workflows
User says "Fix X" → That's the WHAT, not the HOW. Still follow brainstorming, TDD, verification workflows.
Skill Categories
| Category | When to Use | |----------|-------------| | Checkers | Before assumptions, before actions | | Collaboration | Planning, brainstorming, executing plans | | Debugging | When something's broken | | Problem-Solving | When stuck | | Testing | TDD, test design | | Meta | Writing/improving skills |
Quick Dispatch
Starting a feature → brainstorming → writing-plans → executing-plans
Something broken → systematic-debugging or root-cause-tracing
About to assume → assumption-checker
About to modify → pre-action-verifier
Claiming done → verification-before-completionAnti-Patterns (Stop If You Think These)
| Thought | Reality | |---------|---------| | "I remember this skill" | Skills evolve. Read current version. | | "This doesn't need a skill" | If skill exists, use it. | | "Let me just do this first" | Check skills BEFORE anything. | | "This is simple" | Simple tasks become complex. Use skills. |
Integration with Checker Agents
Before taking action, the checker agents validate:
assumption-checker→ Are you guessing?context-validator→ Do you have enough context?intent-clarifier→ Is the request clear?pre-action-verifier→ Are prerequisites met?fact-checker→ Are your claims about code accurate?
These checkers are strict mode - they halt and ask rather than proceeding.
Summary
- Check for relevant skills FIRST
- Announce you're using them
- Follow them EXACTLY
- Use TodoWrite for checklists
- Verify before claiming completion