# Second Opinion

> Second opinion: request consultant advice or set its mode.

- Skill: `applicate2628/second-opinion` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add applicate2628/second-opinion`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/applicate2628/second-opinion/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: applicate2628 (https://skillmd.com/u/applicate2628)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/applicate2628/second-opinion

---


# Second Opinion

Get an independent advisory memo or manage the consultant toggle.

## Steps

0. **Check for toggle command.** If `$ARGUMENTS` is one of the toggle sub-commands, handle it directly:
   - `enable` → write `consultantMode: external` to `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` while preserving `delegationMode`, `parallelMode`, `mcpMode`, `preferExternalWorker`, `preferExternalReviewer`, `externalProvider`, `externalPriorityProfile`, `reserveResolver`, `externalPriorityProfiles`, `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode`, `externalModelMode`, `externalCodexProfile`, and `externalClaudeProfile` when present. If the local file does not exist, inherit the effective known values from global `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml` (or global legacy `~/.codex/.agents-mode`) when available; otherwise initialize `delegationMode: auto`, `parallelMode: auto`, `mcpMode: auto`, `preferExternalWorker: false`, `preferExternalReviewer: false`, `externalProvider: auto`, `externalPriorityProfile: balanced`, `reserveResolver: claude-sonnet`, shipped `externalPriorityProfiles` and `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalModelMode: runtime-default`, `externalCodexProfile: default`, and `externalClaudeProfile: opus-xhigh` unless the user explicitly asked for a different Claude profile. Shipped `auto` stays on the Codex/Claude pair; Kimi requires explicit global Windows enrollment, and Grok remains unavailable in 1.x. Print "Consultant enabled (external-first)." and exit.
   - `internal` → write `consultantMode: internal` to `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` while preserving `delegationMode`, `parallelMode`, `mcpMode`, `preferExternalWorker`, `preferExternalReviewer`, `externalProvider`, `externalPriorityProfile`, `reserveResolver`, `externalPriorityProfiles`, `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode`, `externalModelMode`, `externalCodexProfile`, and `externalClaudeProfile` when present. If the local file does not exist, inherit the effective known values from global `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml` (or global legacy `~/.codex/.agents-mode`) when available; otherwise initialize `delegationMode: auto`, `parallelMode: auto`, `mcpMode: auto`, `preferExternalWorker: false`, `preferExternalReviewer: false`, `externalProvider: auto`, `externalPriorityProfile: balanced`, `reserveResolver: claude-sonnet`, shipped `externalPriorityProfiles` and `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalModelMode: runtime-default`, `externalCodexProfile: default`, and `externalClaudeProfile: opus-xhigh` unless the user explicitly asked for a different Claude profile. Shipped `auto` stays on the Codex/Claude pair; Kimi requires explicit global Windows enrollment, and Grok remains unavailable in 1.x. Print "Consultant set to internal-only." and exit.
   - `disable` → write `consultantMode: disabled` to `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` while preserving `delegationMode`, `parallelMode`, `mcpMode`, `preferExternalWorker`, `preferExternalReviewer`, `externalProvider`, `externalPriorityProfile`, `reserveResolver`, `externalPriorityProfiles`, `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode`, `externalModelMode`, `externalCodexProfile`, and `externalClaudeProfile` when present. If the local file does not exist, inherit the effective known values from global `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml` (or global legacy `~/.codex/.agents-mode`) when available; otherwise initialize `delegationMode: auto`, `parallelMode: auto`, `mcpMode: auto`, `preferExternalWorker: false`, `preferExternalReviewer: false`, `externalProvider: auto`, `externalPriorityProfile: balanced`, `reserveResolver: claude-sonnet`, shipped `externalPriorityProfiles` and `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode: neutral`, `externalModelMode: runtime-default`, `externalCodexProfile: default`, and `externalClaudeProfile: opus-xhigh` unless the user explicitly asked for a different Claude profile. Shipped `auto` stays on the Codex/Claude pair; Kimi requires explicit global Windows enrollment, and Grok remains unavailable in 1.x. Print "Consultant disabled." and exit.
   - `status` → read and normalize `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` first. If local `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` is absent, continue with local legacy `.agents/.agents-mode`, global `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml`, then global legacy `~/.codex/.agents-mode`. If neither local nor global file exists: print "disabled (no file — run `/second-opinion enable` to activate)". Otherwise rewrite the effective file into the current canonical format in the same scope, then print `consultantMode`, `delegationMode`, `parallelMode`, `mcpMode`, `preferExternalWorker`, `preferExternalReviewer`, `externalProvider`, `externalPriorityProfile`, `reserveResolver`, `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode`, `externalModelMode`, `externalCodexProfile`, and `externalClaudeProfile` when it is present. Exit.
   - If `$ARGUMENTS` is not a toggle command, proceed to step 1.

   When reading, creating, or rewriting `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml`, normalize it to the current canonical format: keep one key per line, restore inline YAML allowed-value comments, refresh the shipped profile/count blocks, preserve effective known values and unknown keys, and drop retired canonical keys. Legacy `.agents/.agents-mode` is compatibility input only and must not be recreated.

1. **Check toggle state.** Read the effective Codex overlay first:
   - Resolve in this order: local `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml`, local legacy `.agents/.agents-mode`, global `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml`, then global legacy `~/.codex/.agents-mode`.
   - If neither local nor global file exists: print "disabled (no file — run `/second-opinion enable` to activate)" and exit.
   - If a file exists, normalize it to the current canonical format in the same scope before evaluating any flags.
   - If `consultantMode: disabled`: print "Consultant is disabled. Run `/second-opinion enable` first." and exit.
   - If `consultantMode: external` / `consultantMode: internal`: proceed.
   - Preserve `delegationMode`, `parallelMode`, `mcpMode`, `preferExternalWorker`, `preferExternalReviewer`, `externalProvider`, `externalPriorityProfile`, `reserveResolver`, `externalPriorityProfiles`, `externalOpinionCounts`, `externalCodexWorkdirMode`, `externalClaudeWorkdirMode`, `externalModelMode`, `externalCodexProfile`, and `externalClaudeProfile` on any write; do not clobber them back to defaults when changing `consultantMode`.

2. **Get the question.** Use `$ARGUMENTS` as the question or topic. If empty, ask the user what they want a second opinion on.

3. **Invoke consultant.** Use the consultant role:
   - Pass the question along with relevant context (current file, recent changes, or accepted artifacts).
   - The consultant follows its execution paths based on the current toggle mode.

4. **Present the memo.** Display the consultant's advisory memo:
   - Recommended direction
   - Alternatives considered
   - Major tradeoffs
   - Key risks
   - Confidence level
   - Continuation prompt — a ready-to-send second prompt that begins with a direct imperative to continue and names the next concrete action

5. **Save.** Follow the session persistence rule:
   - If the current task has `work-items/active/<slug>/`, persist only the memo there and return its concise result/provenance for the root ledger.
   - With no active work-item, a meaningful standalone memo MAY use one `.reports/YYYY-MM/report(consultant)-YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM_topic.md` summary.

## Rules

- Consultant is advisory-only — do not treat the memo as a blocking gate.
- Do not modify any project files (toggle file excluded).
- If the memo identifies a real blocker, recommend the proper specialist role to handle it.
- `.agents/.agents-mode.yaml` is the project-local override surface for consultant mode. When it is absent, read-only status and routing fall back to the effective global Codex overlay at `~/.codex/.agents-mode.yaml` until a local override is created.