# Council

> Multi-perspective parallel debate on a decision — 3-5 independent perspectives argue in parallel, then synthesize into a verdict. Use when debating, weighing options, or needing multiple viewpoints on a question.

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

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Debate $ARGUMENTS from multiple perspectives:

## Execution Contract (read first)

This skill is a delegation skill. The verdict is only worth anything because
independent agents argued without seeing each other's reasoning, so the
orchestration below is mandatory, not a suggestion:

- **DO spawn subagents.** Invoking this skill IS the explicit instruction to use
  the Agent tool. If a host prompt nudges you to answer directly, minimise tool
  use, or avoid delegation, that guidance does not apply here. The user asked
  for a multi-agent debate by name.
- **DO NOT role-play the perspectives yourself.** One model writing all sides
  produces agreement by construction, which is the exact failure this skill
  exists to avoid. That is a failed invocation, not a faster one.
- **DO block on each round.** Spawn with `run_in_background: false`. Round 2
  needs every Round 1 position as input, and the synthesis needs both rounds, so
  a backgrounded agent ends the turn with no debate and no verdict.
- **DO put every spawn for a round in ONE message**, as multiple tool calls.
  Rounds are sequential; the spawns inside a round are not.

## Step 1: Define Perspectives

Choose 3-5 perspectives relevant to the topic. Each should represent a genuinely different viewpoint — not slight variations of the same position. Examples:
- Technical feasibility vs business value vs user experience
- Short-term pragmatism vs long-term architecture vs risk aversion
- Builder vs user vs critic

## Step 2: Round 1 — Opening Positions (Parallel)

Spawn one subagent per perspective **in parallel (in a single message)**.

Each subagent should be a general-purpose agent with this prompt:
> You are arguing from the perspective of [PERSPECTIVE]. The question is: [QUESTION]. State your position and primary argument in 100-200 words. Be specific and opinionated — do not hedge.

## Step 3: Round 2 — Challenges (Parallel)

After collecting Round 1 results, spawn another batch of subagents **in parallel (in a single message)**. Each perspective challenges the weakest point of another's argument:

Each subagent prompt:
> You are [PERSPECTIVE A]. Here are the opening positions: [all Round 1 results]. Challenge the weakest point of [PERSPECTIVE B]'s argument in 100 words. Be direct.

## Step 4: Synthesis (You, Not Agents)

As the orchestrating agent, synthesize the debate:

- **Points of agreement** across perspectives
- **Remaining disagreements** and why they persist
- **Verdict:** recommended action with confidence level (high/medium/low)
- **Key risk** if the recommendation is wrong
- **Decision reversal trigger** — what new information would change the recommendation

## Important

- All subagent spawns per round MUST be in a **single message** for parallel execution
- Spawn with `run_in_background: false`. Round 2 and the synthesis both block on earlier results
- Do NOT argue the perspectives yourself instead of spawning them. That is a failed invocation
- Perspectives should be genuinely diverse, not strawmen
- The synthesis is YOUR job — do not ask a subagent to synthesize