From b2e3b0519854f97ca4467091bb272a20805ad2ae Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: damocles Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2026 12:29:55 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] subagent: compare haiku max to sonnet on low, and warn that sonnet defaults to high --- .../plugins/base/skills/claude-subagents/SKILL.md | 9 +++++---- hive-subagent-mcp/src/mcp.rs | 2 +- 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/claude-subagents/SKILL.md b/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/claude-subagents/SKILL.md index 222cc088..d3d667f2 100644 --- a/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/claude-subagents/SKILL.md +++ b/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/claude-subagents/SKILL.md @@ -62,10 +62,11 @@ well-scoped batch (the shape this skill is for), reach for it liberally rather than defaulting to a bigger model "to be safe." On a small context Haiku costs next to nothing up to `high` effort, so there's no cost reason to cap its effort at `medium` by reflex. Effort is a real lever on Haiku -though: at `max` it behaves like a slightly weaker Sonnet at about Sonnet's -cost, so `max` on Haiku buys nothing over picking Sonnet. Stay at `high` or -below, and move to a stronger model when the batch needs more judgement -(see Pitfalls below). +though: at `max` it behaves like a slightly weaker Sonnet at about the cost +of Sonnet on `low`, so `max` on Haiku buys nothing over Sonnet on `low`. +Stay at `high` or below, and move to a stronger model when the batch needs +more judgement (see Pitfalls below). When you do pick Sonnet, pass `low` +yourself: its default effort is `high`, a big price bump. This isn't "always pick the smallest model regardless of task" — a batch that actually needs judgement calls still wants a stronger model (see diff --git a/hive-subagent-mcp/src/mcp.rs b/hive-subagent-mcp/src/mcp.rs index 09e74539..76f528fa 100644 --- a/hive-subagent-mcp/src/mcp.rs +++ b/hive-subagent-mcp/src/mcp.rs @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ struct StartArgs { /// Anthropic's own guidance on choosing between levels. On Haiku with a /// small context, effort up to `high` costs next to nothing, so there's /// no cost reason to cap it at `medium`; at `max` it costs about what - /// Sonnet does. + /// Sonnet does on `low` (Sonnet's own default is `high`, a big price bump). #[serde(default)] effort: Option, /// Path to a file holding the subagent's actual task instructions. A