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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, openWorldHint=true. The description adds genuine context beyond that: it pulls the LIVE offer book of resale plus primary inventory (freshness characteristic), prices are fee-inclusive, and prices are integer cents. Missing only things like result volatility or rate-limit behavior.

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?

Three compact sentences, each earning its place: trigger, the pre-condition exclusion, and the price-unit note. The scoping constraint is front-loaded before the caveat.

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?

With an output schema present, return values need no explanation, and the description covers liveness, fee-inclusive pricing and required precedence. Minor gap: no guidance on how the overlapping tags/section_tags and sections/section_ids alias parameters differ, though the schema documents each individually.

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?

Schema description coverage is 100% across all 15 parameters, so the schema carries the burden and baseline 3 applies. The description only restates the price-unit convention already documented on min_price_cents/max_price_cents and does not clarify the ambiguous tag/section alias pairs.

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?

States a specific verb+resource (list ticket options for an XP event) plus the distinctive traits of the result: fee-inclusive prices and live resale+primary inventory. This distinguishes it clearly from siblings like check_listing, get_recent_sales, and get_seat_map.

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?

Explicitly names the trigger condition ('after search_events', user asking for cheap seats or parking) and gives an explicit exclusion: 'Do not use before an event has been resolved — call search_events or get_event_details first.' Both the when and the alternative are named.

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