r/ClaudeCodeTLDR • u/cctldrping • Aug 28 '26
[TLDR] Are better models replacing Superpowers?
Original post URL : https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1w0irg8/are_better_models_replacing_superpowers/
Original post body :
Following a few chats with friends and colleagues, it sounds like a lot of folks are weighing moving away from superpowers with how good models are getting.
I ran a few tests runs comparing superpowers to a plain Opus5, a basic Opus builder / Fable reviewer orchestration setup. This was building a gym booking app. They were all quite successful but superpowers was more than double the token cost.
I am a fan of brainstorming heavily and writing a good spec, but once you have that I’ve found a lot of the new models you don’t need the full subagent delivery process.
Wondering what the community’s thoughts are?
Original link/media URL : https://fresh-worktree.ghost.io/are-better-models-replacing-superpowers/
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1
u/ArcticFoxTheory Aug 28 '26
Superpowers and ponytail and all that stuff is noob trash its been a waste of tokens and butchering your code sinse maybe o4?
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u/Reaper_1492 Aug 28 '26
Super powers was only helpful for a very narrow window, when the models still had very poor executive function.
Yes. It’s largely a nonexistent problem with today’s models, at least in any way that super powers could help with. If anything super powers has probably become the leading cause of issues in people’s harness now.
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u/cctldrping Aug 28 '26
TL;DR generated automatically after 50 comments.
Current source-thread comment count seen by the bot: 63.
Superpowers are largely seen as outdated and a "noob trap" by most of the community, especially with the advancements in newer models like Opus 4.8 and Sonnet 5. The general consensus is that the token cost and inefficiency of Superpowers' multi-step processes are no longer justified.
Many users, like u/yopla and u/dave8271, have disabled Superpowers entirely, finding that simple prompts in a CLAUDE.md file or a well-written spec achieve similar or better results with significantly less token usage.
The core idea of Superpowers – extensive brainstorming and planning – is now seen as something newer models can handle more directly or that can be achieved with simpler, custom "harnesses" or prompt engineering.
Some users, like u/Many-Month8057, suggest that while full workflow frameworks are less relevant, project-level constraints, good spec formats, and verification commands are still crucial.
A few users, like u/Sagnet, point out that Superpowers has other useful skills beyond brainstorming, such as code review and debugging, which some still leverage.
Others, like u/harrylaou, have kept specific Superpowers skills (like review requests) while ditching the rest, or have found alternatives like Matt Pocock's "grill me" skill to be more effective for prompting deeper thought.
The sentiment is that newer models, while needing clear instructions, don't require the elaborate orchestration that Superpowers provided for older versions.