| name | minor-illusion |
| description | Minor Illusion produces artifacts that are explicitly labeled as disposable and exist only to provoke reaction. If the artifact could be mistaken for finished work, you're casting the wrong spell. |
| user-invocable | true |
Minor Illusion
Conjure a quick sketch of an idea — just real enough to communicate.
Overview
Minor Illusion is interpreted here as a metaphorical spell with a shipping-now execution model.
Canonical source: Minor Illusion (spell)
Provider target: OpenClaw
When To Use
- Activate this spell when the user needs a quick, low-fidelity artifact to make an idea visible for discussion. The goal is communication speed, not quality.
- Words: "sketch", "mockup", "wireframe", "rough", "placeholder", "throwaway", "napkin", "lorem ipsum", "fake data", "just to communicate", "before we build", "just enough to"
- Patterns: User describes a concept that needs to be made concrete for alignment, comparison, or stakeholder conversation
- Timeframe implied: minutes, not hours; disposable, not shippable
- Explicit statements: "don't overthink it", "this is just to start the conversation", "label it as a sketch"
Workflow
- Identify the single concept that needs to be made visible. If there are multiple, pick the one blocking the conversation.
- Pick the cheapest format that communicates the idea: ASCII layout, text mockup, rough diagram, placeholder code, or described wireframe. Do not reach for tools or frameworks.
- Create it fast — spend minutes, not hours. Use lorem ipsum, fake values, bracketed descriptions like [logo here]. Fidelity is failure here.
- Label it explicitly as a sketch, mockup, or throwaway. Add a header like "ROUGH SKETCH — NOT FOR PRODUCTION" or similar.
- Present it for reaction, not approval. Ask what feels wrong or missing. Use the response to decide whether to invest in a real version.
Deliverables
- The artifact itself (sketch, wireframe, placeholder, diagram)
- A clear label: "This is a disposable sketch, not a commitment"
- One sentence on what question this sketch is meant to answer
Guardrails
- Do NOT activate when:
- Do not use for: The user asks for a working prototype with validation, state, or API calls → that's a different spell (higher fidelity, shippable)
- Do not use for: The user wants a small code change (update a button color, fix a typo) → that's a direct edit, not a sketch
- Do not use for: The user requests a complete design system or production-ready component library → that's a build spell, not an illusion
- Do not use for: The user asks for visual deception (fake loading indicators, spoofed identities, dark patterns) → that's manipulation, not communication
- Do not use for: The user wants physical organization (desk setup, cable management) → literal, not metaphorical
Default Invocation
Use $minor-illusion to quickly sketch an idea — a wireframe, placeholder, rough diagram, or throwaway prototype — just real enough to get a reaction.
