From 98233182fd4b54f19edcf211b4eddc1352dd5987 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kayos <kayos@sulkta.com>
Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 22:32:52 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] forge: high effort for prose-craft passes, max only for audit
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gen, cleanup, narrate_prep and rewrite drop from max to high
effort. Audit keeps max — it is the one pass doing real reasoning
(canon drift, timeline gaps, retcons) rather than prose-craft, so
it is worth the frontier spend. Prose-craft is "good enough" at
high. This also keeps the all-Opus skald pattern under the
$200/month claude -p cap landing next month.
---
 skald-core/src/forge.rs | 28 ++++++++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/skald-core/src/forge.rs b/skald-core/src/forge.rs
index 75c22b1..9812459 100644
--- a/skald-core/src/forge.rs
+++ b/skald-core/src/forge.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 //!
 //! 1. **gen** — produces a new chapter draft from an assembled
 //!    context blob (parent prose + bible + characters + similarity-
-//!    matched passages, all from the database). Opus, max effort.
+//!    matched passages, all from the database). Opus, high effort.
 //!
 //! 2. **cleanup** — polishes the draft for prose quality, voice
 //!    consistency, dialogue rhythm, pacing dead spots. Same Opus,
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ use crate::config::ForgeConfig;
 pub struct Forge {
     client: Client,
     /// The model alias we pass to clawdforge. Skald is opinionated:
-    /// always opus max effort. (See `project_story_writer_container.md`.)
-    /// `clawdforge` resolves the alias to the actual claude CLI flag.
+    /// always opus. Story-writing passes (gen/cleanup/narrate_prep/
+    /// rewrite) run at HIGH effort; only the audit pass runs at MAX —
+    /// audit genuinely needs the frontier reasoning, prose-craft does
+    /// not, and the $200/mo `claude -p` cap makes max-everywhere
+    /// unaffordable. `clawdforge` resolves the alias to the CLI flag.
     model: String,
 }
 
@@ -136,7 +139,7 @@ impl Forge {
             model: Some(self.model.clone()),
             system: Some(system),
             system_mode: Some(mode),
-            effort: Some(Effort::Max),
+            effort: Some(Effort::High),
             timeout_secs: Some(1800),
             ..Default::default()
         };
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ impl Forge {
             model: Some(self.model.clone()),
             system: Some(system),
             system_mode: Some(mode),
-            effort: Some(Effort::Max),
+            effort: Some(Effort::High),
             timeout_secs: Some(1800),
             ..Default::default()
         };
@@ -231,9 +234,9 @@ impl Forge {
             model: Some(self.model.clone()),
             system: Some(system),
             system_mode: Some(mode),
-            // Tag placement IS a craft choice; max effort buys
-            // better beat sense. Same posture as gen/cleanup.
-            effort: Some(Effort::Max),
+            // Tag placement IS a craft choice; high effort is
+            // plenty for beat sense. Same posture as gen/cleanup.
+            effort: Some(Effort::High),
             timeout_secs: Some(1800),
             ..Default::default()
         };
@@ -251,7 +254,8 @@ impl Forge {
     ///
     /// Author REQUIRED — a rewrite without an author has no target
     /// voice. SystemMode::Replace; the model BECOMES the author.
-    /// Max effort: re-authoring is the heaviest prose-craft task.
+    /// High effort: re-authoring is heavy prose-craft, but it's
+    /// still craft, not reasoning — max is reserved for audit.
     pub async fn rewrite(
         &self,
         prose: &str,
@@ -272,7 +276,7 @@ impl Forge {
             model: Some(self.model.clone()),
             system: Some(system),
             system_mode: Some(SystemMode::Replace),
-            effort: Some(Effort::Max),
+            effort: Some(Effort::High),
             timeout_secs: Some(1800),
             ..Default::default()
         };
@@ -516,6 +520,10 @@ fn build_audit_request(model: &str, parent: &str, sequel: &str, bible: &str) ->
         prompt,
         model: Some(model.to_string()),
         system: Some(SYSTEM_AUDIT.to_string()),
+        // Audit is the one pass that keeps MAX effort — catching
+        // canon drift, timeline gaps and retcons is reasoning work
+        // worth the frontier spend; prose-craft passes run at high.
+        effort: Some(Effort::Max),
         timeout_secs: Some(600),
         ..Default::default()
     }