news_list_signals

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden and does disclose the key behavioral fact an agent needs: calls would fail because the upstream API returns 410 Gone and the product moved to on-chain governance. It stops short of saying whether the tool now errors outright or returns empty results, which would be the final detail worth having.

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?

Front-loaded with the blocking warning symbol and 'DEPRECATED — do not use', so the critical information cannot be missed, followed by reason and migration path. The trailing `earning_opportunities` tip is unrelated to this tool's subject and is the only sentence that does not earn its place here.

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?

For a zero-parameter, no-output-schema, deprecated tool, the description covers everything needed: status, cause, and where to go instead. No further detail would change an agent's decision.

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 takes zero parameters, so there is nothing for the description to clarify and the baseline of 4 applies. The absence of parameters is consistent with a deprecated, non-functional listing endpoint.

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 exactly what the tool did (browse the signal feed via the aibtc.news API) and its current status (deprecated, backed by an endpoint returning 410 Gone). It also names the replacement sibling, legion_list_stories, so an agent can disambiguate it from the many other news_* tools without inspecting the schema.

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?

Explicit and unambiguous: 'do not use', plus the reason (API shut down) and two concrete alternatives with an entry-point ordering (start with legion_status, then legion_list_stories). This is textbook when-not-to-use guidance with routing.

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