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

With no annotations provided, the description fully discloses important behavioral traits: it recalculates the receipt count on every call and auto-upgrades the tier when thresholds are met. It also mentions the hint for next tier. This is transparent about side effects and goes beyond a simple read operation.

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

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

The description is three sentences long, front-loaded with the core purpose, and every sentence adds value: thresholds, recalculation, auto-upgrade, and hint. No wasted words or redundancy.

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

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

Given that the tool has no parameters, no annotations, and has an output schema (not shown but indicated), the description provides sufficient behavioral detail, including side effects and tier thresholds. It is complete for a simple retrieval tool with side effects.

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

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

The tool has zero parameters, so per the rubric the baseline is 4. The description doesn't need to explain parameter semantics; it instead clarifies the output behavior, which is sufficient.

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

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

The description clearly states the tool's function: 'Return the calling agent's passport with current reputation tier and receipt count.' It uses a specific verb ('Return') and resource ('passport'), and distinguishes itself from the sibling tool 'issue_passport' by focusing on retrieval of the caller's own passport.

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

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

The description implies when to use this tool (when the calling agent needs its passport, reputation tier, or receipt count), but it does not explicitly mention alternatives or exclusions. No reference is made to sibling tools like 'issue_passport' to clarify when not to use it.

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