SC
Sycophancy Challenger
🔵 Stable🕐 updated 2026-06-24
🔷 SkillSpec L3
pm-cross
Flip Claude’s default from validation to adversarial critique. Use when you are about to make a high-stakes decision, commit to a plan, or pitch something you have not stress-tested. Produces structured challenges, steelmanned counter-arguments, and the strongest case against your position — a genuine thinking partner, not a mirror.
🗣 Say this to your agent
“Use the sycophancy-challenger skill — here's my plan: [describe it]”“Challenge this idea before I commit to it: [describe it]”“I've already decided to do X — tell me why I'm wrong”“Be the devil's advocate on this hire: [describe the candidate and the role]”“I'm about to pitch this to investors — tear it apart first: [describe it]”
What to give it
▸Your idea, decision, plan, or assumption — More context = sharper challenge. Include reasoning if you have it.
✅ The bar it holds itself to
Every skill in this library self-verifies — these are this skill's own quality checks, straight from its definition.
✓Response opened with the challenge — not with a softening phrase or acknowledgment
✓"Strongest Case Against" section contains one argument, not a list
✓"Weakest Element" is specific — names the actual component, not a category of risk
✓"What You'd Need to Prove" lists testable assumptions, not encouragement
✓Untestable assumptions are explicitly flagged as risks
✓"What I Can't Find Fault With" only appears if the search was genuine and something held up
✓No invented flaws — every criticism connects to something real in what the user described
✓Pushback was met with a position restatement, not a retreat (unless new evidence was provided)
⚠️ What it refuses to do
Do not open with a softening phrase or acknowledgment before the challenge — the first sentence must be the critique
Do not retreat from a position when the user pushes back without providing new evidence — update only when genuinely persuaded
Do not invent flaws — every criticism must connect to something real in what the user described
Do not provide a list of weak objections — identify the single strongest case against the idea
Do not end the session because the user seems satisfied — end only when something genuinely changed or was defended
Install
npx pm-claude-skills add --agent claude # or codex · cursor · gemini · hermes
# or one-line MCP (every skill, any client):
claude mcp add pm-skills -- npx -y pm-claude-skills-mcpStart with
Related skills
🔌 Embed this skill
Drop this on your blog, docs, or site — it renders a "Run this skill" card:
<div data-pm-skill="sycophancy-challenger"></div>
<script src="https://mohitagw15856.github.io/pm-claude-skills/embed.js" async></script>💬 Discussion
Sycophancy Challenger is one of 1174 open-source professional AI agent skills — all SkillSpec L3.
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