Workbench L2 Pressure Gate

Use this skill when an issue asks for HarnessMax, remote evolution, leaderboard pressure, Research Vault grounding, long-running Hermes synthesis, or autonomous review sweeps that should improve the workbench over time.

L2 Pressure is the workbench's memory-pressure layer. Before choosing a path, the owner must pull relevant prior failures, constraints, and proven patterns from Research Vault or the closest available durable memory source. The result is a better next action, not a larger prompt.

Activation

Use this gate when any of these appear in the issue:

• L2_PRESSURE: yes
• RV_PRESSURE: required
• HarnessMax, remote evolve, remote VM, remote Hermes, leaderboard, or constant-evolve language
• a task that could repeat prior mistakes unless durable memory is consulted

Required Block

Post this before routing or implementation:

RV_PRESSURE_CHECK
objective:
owner:
vault_source:
queries_or_indexes_checked:
relevant_prior_failures:
proven_patterns:
l2_pressure_applied:
not_applied_and_why:
next_best_action:
verdict: PASS | FLAG | BLOCK

Source Order

Use the best available source, in this order:

1. Remote Research Vault MCP endpoint if the issue proves it is available.
2. Project-bound Research Vault repo/resource if attached to the issue.
3. Local Research Vault MCP or filesystem source when the runtime is local.
4. Workbench memory files, SYNTHESIS.md, DECISIONS.md, and issue evidence when Research Vault access is unavailable.

If using a fallback, mark the result FLAG unless the task only needs workbench-local memory.

Remote Rules

• Remote runtimes must not treat laptop file:// paths as valid Research Vault access.
• Remote Research Vault MCP starts read-only: vault_status, vault_search, vault_taxonomy, and vault_get only.
• Do not enable write, ingest, delete, or maintenance tools without a separate issue, explicit approval, and Supervisor review.
• Store only compact summaries in issue comments. Do not paste raw vault entries, secrets, OAuth material, request payloads, screenshots, or private logs.
• If MCP auth, endpoint, or routing fails, create or route to an RV MCP preflight issue instead of inventing memory.

Pressure Rules

1. Convert memory into constraints and next actions.
2. Prefer proven failure modes over generic advice.
3. Reject novelty when a prior pattern already identifies the highest-yield path.
4. Name the route not taken when leaderboard pressure would tempt broad work.
5. Escalate to Supervisor when memory conflicts with the issue objective.

Closeout

For L2 Pressure tasks, PASS requires:

• the required block was posted;
• at least one durable source was checked or a fallback was justified;
• prior failures or proven patterns changed the plan, review, or route; and
• the final report states whether the pressure improved, blocked, or merely confirmed the current path.

If no relevant memory exists, report PASS only when the search was specific and bounded. Broad "nothing found" claims are FLAG.