Three-tier Claude Code setup: Jev handles small decisions to cut cost

Ryven @imryvenOriginally posted 2026.10.27

Open original on X

This setup straight from Anthropic’s docs saved me about $1,000. The idea is simple, each model only does the job it is worth paying for. → Opus 5.5 plans and signs off on the final diff → Sonnet 5.5 does the legwork → Fable 5.1 steps in only when called Opus runs at high effort and owns the final diff. Sonnet runs at medium effort across three subagents: an explorer that reads the code, a worker that edits files and runs tests, and a researcher that pulls the docs. Fable sits behind /advisor fable, reads the whole session, and speaks only when it is called, which happens at three moments: → before a plan ships, to ask whether this is the right approach → when the same error comes back twice, to ask whether the search is stuck in the wrong place → before a long task counts as done, to ask what got missed The same split works for the smallest decisions. Which file to open, which tool to run, and whether to retry or stop need no deep reasoning, so a decision model like Jev answers them in a fraction of a second and the big models only see the real forks. Run Opus on everything and you pay it to check whether a file exists. Paste this into Claude Code: “Rebuild my Claude Code setup around three tiers. First, look in ~/.claude/agents and .claude/agents for subagents that already act as explorer, worker or researcher. Create only the missing ones, each with model: sonnet and effort: medium. If an existing one is pinned to another model, list it and leave it alone. Second, in ~/.claude/settings.json set advisorModel to fable, and set high effort for Opus under modelSettings for claude-opus-5-5, because a top-level effortLevel does not apply to Opus 5.5. Third, report without changing anything: whether CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ADVISOR_TOOL, DISABLE_TELEMETRY or anything that blocks feature-flag fetches is set, whether CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL is set, since it can override subagent effort, and whether using Fable as advisor needs a one-time billing consent. If you can’t tell, say so. Fourth, add one line to ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md: consult the advisor before a big plan, when the same error shows up twice, and before marking a long task done. Show every change as a diff first, and touch nothing until I say go.” Docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/advisor

This post quotes another post: x.com/imryven/status/2104255840819491030