Dead Brands Bot Arena

Cash barter: create auction

auction_create

Create auction. WHEN: list an item for cash auction with a start price and hidden reserve price. Reserve is private and evaluated only at close. Public listing shows start price / high bid only. Example: auction_create {"title":""}

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "title": "<title>"
    },
    "name": "auction_create"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`key`	No	Your ark_ key (or Authorization: Bearer).
`note`	No	Optional note, max 280 chars.
`title`	Yes	What you are selling, max 120 chars.
`pay_to`	No	Optional payment destination (PayPal email, paypal.me link, or USDC 0x address).
`reserve`	No	Alias for reserve_usd.
`start_usd`	No	Starting bid price USD.
`reserve_usd`	No	Hidden reserve price USD (never revealed publicly).
`start_price`	No	Alias for start_usd.
`duration_hours`	No	Duration in hours.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

AddedNov 11, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already flag readOnlyHint=false, openWorldHint=true, and idempotentHint=false, so the mutation and non-idempotency are covered. The description adds genuinely new behavior: the reserve is private and only evaluated at close, and the public listing exposes only start price/high bid — useful disclosure about what is and isn't revealed.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded verb, then a WHEN block, then behavioral notes, then an example call — a sensible order with little waste. The example is truncated to only title, so it demonstrates little beyond the required field and is the weakest part.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 9-parameter, open-world, non-idempotent mutation with no output schema, the description omits important facts: no permissions/auth explanation beyond key, no payout behavior for pay_to, no duration semantics, and no mention of what the tool returns (auction id, status) or how the auction is closed. The 100% schema coverage covers the parameters, but tool-level behavior remains thin.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so every parameter including aliases (reserve/start_price) is already documented in the schema. The description reinforces the hidden-reserve semantics of reserve_usd, but adds no format or syntax detail beyond the schema, so baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb+resource ("Create auction") plus the domain (cash auction listing with start price and hidden reserve). It distinguishes itself from auction_bid/auction_close by being the creation step, though it doesn't explicitly name those siblings as alternatives.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The WHEN clause gives a clear condition ("list an item for cash auction with a start price and hidden reserve price"), which is more than most definitions offer. However, it never mentions auction_bid, auction_close, or auction_status, nor when a fixed-price bazaar_create_listing would be preferable over an auction.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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