# Hypnotic Pattern

> Hypnotic Pattern mesmerizes everyone who looks at it. The real-world version is attention design: loading animations, progress indicators, onboarding flows, and visual patterns that keep users oriented and engaged during a bounded experience. The line between helpful focus and addictive capture is the central design tension.

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

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# Hypnotic Pattern

Design attention-capture patterns that hold focus in a bounded context.

## Overview

Hypnotic Pattern is interpreted here as a metaphorical spell with a shipping-now execution model.

Canonical source: Hypnotic Pattern (spell)

Provider target: OpenClaw

## When To Use

- A flow, onboarding sequence, or presentation needs better attention-holding mechanics.
- Users are dropping off during a multi-step process and you need to understand why and how to keep them.

## Workflow

1. Identify the experience and its attention drop-off points.
2. Design engagement patterns: progress indicators, micro-rewards, curiosity gaps, or visual anchors.
3. Map the boundary: when should the pattern release attention? Hypnotic Pattern has a duration, not an infinity.
4. Deliver the attention design with an explicit note on where engagement becomes compulsion.

## Deliverables

- Attention-capture patterns tailored to the specific flow or experience.
- A boundary specification: when the pattern should deliberately release the user's attention.

## Guardrails

- Distinguish attention-capture from addiction mechanics. This spell has a duration — it is not designed to hold attention indefinitely.
- Refuse infinite scroll, autoplay-without-end, or engagement patterns designed to prevent the user from leaving.

## Default Invocation

Use $hypnotic-pattern to design attention-holding mechanics for this [flow/onboarding/presentation], with clear boundaries on when to let go.