LoopyLuci Skill Fallback Strategy
Trigger: Use when no skill seems to match the current task, the loaded skill's instructions don't work, or you need an alternative approach.
Fallback Decision Tree
Loaded skill not working?
│
┌────▼─────────┐
│ Steps unclear?│──YES──► Load reference files for detail
└────┬─────────┘
│ NO
┌────▼─────────┐
│ Commands │──YES──► General knowledge, same goal
│ outdated? │
└────┬─────────┘
│ NO
┌────▼──────────┐
│ Wrong track? │──YES──► Try a different approach
└────┬──────────┘
│ NO
┌────▼──────────┐
│ Wrong skill? │──YES──► Score and load next best
└────┬──────────┘
│ Still stuck
┌────▼──────────────┐
│ General knowledge │──► Rely on base capabilities
└───────────────────┘
Fallback Levels
| Level | What to do | Token cost |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | Re-read skill reference files | ~1K |
| L2 | General knowledge with skill's approach | 0 |
| L3 | Load sibling skill in same category | ~1-2K |
| L4 | Load general skill (e.g., systematic-debugging) | ~1K |
| L5 | Base knowledge, note gap for creation | 0 |
Real-World Examples
Commands Outdated
Loaded: docker-compose-patterns
Issue: `docker-compose` is deprecated — `docker compose` needed
Action: L2 — Adjust commands on the fly
Result: Skill structure still useful, adjusted syntax
Wrong Version
Loaded: django-rest-framework-apis
Issue: Skill covers DRF v3, project uses DRF v4
Action: L3 — Load fastapi-api-development instead
Result: Better match for actual stack
No Skill Exists
Task: "Set up RabbitMQ cluster with mirroring"
Search: No skill found for "rabbitmq" or "message-broker"
Action: L5 — General knowledge, mark as gap
When to Give Up
Evaluate after 3 attempts:
1. Failed? → Re-read instructions carefully
2. Failed again? → Check if applying correctly
3. Failed third time? → Skill is wrong/outdated — switch
Abandon a mismatched skill early rather than forcing it.
Token cost is already sunk — don't compound the loss.
Pitfalls
- Skill quality variance: A skill might exist but be poorly written
- False confidence: Loading a skill can make you overconfident — verify commands
- Update lag: Skills for rapidly changing tools can be outdated
- Sunk cost: "I already loaded this, I should use it" — drop it if it doesn't fit
Verification
After fallback:
- Did the alternative work?
- Should the skill be patched?
- Is a new skill needed for this gap?