diff --git a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/ascii_smuggler_converter.py b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/ascii_smuggler_converter.py
index a9f7cc7c68..eca4d6af63 100644
--- a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/ascii_smuggler_converter.py
+++ b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/ascii_smuggler_converter.py
@@ -26,12 +26,13 @@ class AsciiSmugglerConverter(SmugglerConverter):
     # TODO: remove this opt-out and insert ``*,`` after ``self`` in 0.16.0.
     _brick_legacy_init = True
 
-    def __init__(self, action: Literal["encode", "decode"] = "encode", unicode_tags: bool = False) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, action: Literal["encode", "decode"] | None = None, unicode_tags: bool = False) -> None:
         """
         Initialize the converter with options for encoding/decoding.
 
         Args:
-            action (Literal["encode", "decode"]): The action to perform.
+            action (Literal["encode", "decode"] | None): The action to perform; defaults to
+                ``SmugglerConverter.DEFAULT_ACTION`` (``"encode"``).
             unicode_tags (bool): Whether to add Unicode tags during encoding.
         """
         self.unicode_tags = unicode_tags
diff --git a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/base.py b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/base.py
index 34f746f850..3df4ebea6d 100644
--- a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/base.py
+++ b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/base.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 import abc
 import logging
-from typing import Literal
+from typing import ClassVar, Literal
 
 from pyrit.models import ComponentIdentifier
 from pyrit.models.literals import PromptDataType
@@ -23,22 +23,27 @@ class SmugglerConverter(PromptConverter, abc.ABC):
     SUPPORTED_INPUT_TYPES = ("text",)
     SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_TYPES = ("text",)
 
+    DEFAULT_ACTION: ClassVar[Literal["encode", "decode"]] = "encode"
+
     # Grandfathered: ``action`` is part of the public positional API of every
     # SmugglerConverter subclass.
     # TODO: remove this opt-out and insert ``*,`` after ``self`` in 0.16.0
     # (this will be a BREAKING CHANGE for callers passing ``action`` positionally).
     _brick_legacy_init = True
 
-    def __init__(self, action: Literal["encode", "decode"] = "encode") -> None:
+    def __init__(self, action: Literal["encode", "decode"] | None = None) -> None:
         """
         Initialize the converter with options for encoding/decoding.
 
         Args:
-            action (Literal["encode", "decode"]): The action to perform.
+            action (Literal["encode", "decode"] | None): The action to perform; defaults to
+                ``DEFAULT_ACTION`` (``"encode"``).
 
         Raises:
             ValueError: If the action is not 'encode' or 'decode'.
         """
+        if action is None:
+            action = self.DEFAULT_ACTION
         if action not in ["encode", "decode"]:
             raise ValueError("Action must be either 'encode' or 'decode'")
         self.action = action
diff --git a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
index 0ea2e964e6..03cc17ea2e 100644
--- a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
+++ b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class SneakyBitsSmugglerConverter(SmugglerConverter):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        action: Literal["encode", "decode"] = "encode",
+        action: Literal["encode", "decode"] | None = None,
         zero_char: str | None = None,
         one_char: str | None = None,
     ) -> None:
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ def __init__(
         Initialize the converter with options for encoding/decoding in Sneaky Bits mode.
 
         Args:
-            action (Literal["encode", "decode"]): The action to perform.
+            action (Literal["encode", "decode"] | None): The action to perform; defaults to
+                ``SmugglerConverter.DEFAULT_ACTION`` (``"encode"``).
             zero_char (str | None): Character to represent binary 0 in ``sneaky_bits`` mode (default: U+2062).
             one_char (str | None): Character to represent binary 1 in ``sneaky_bits`` mode (default: U+2064).
 
diff --git a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/variation_selector_smuggler_converter.py b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/variation_selector_smuggler_converter.py
index 24fb70fc8d..3fa25673c0 100644
--- a/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/variation_selector_smuggler_converter.py
+++ b/pyrit/prompt_converter/token_smuggling/variation_selector_smuggler_converter.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class VariationSelectorSmugglerConverter(SmugglerConverter):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        action: Literal["encode", "decode"] = "encode",
+        action: Literal["encode", "decode"] | None = None,
         base_char_utf8: str | None = None,
         embed_in_base: bool = True,
     ) -> None:
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ def __init__(
         Initialize the converter with options for encoding/decoding.
 
         Args:
-            action (Literal["encode", "decode"]): The action to perform.
+            action (Literal["encode", "decode"] | None): The action to perform; defaults to
+                ``SmugglerConverter.DEFAULT_ACTION`` (``"encode"``).
             base_char_utf8 (str | None): Base character for ``variation_selector_smuggler`` mode (default: 😊).
             embed_in_base (bool): If True, the hidden payload is embedded directly into the base character.
                                     If False, a visible separator (space) is inserted between the base and payload.
diff --git a/pyrit/prompt_converter/unicode_sub_converter.py b/pyrit/prompt_converter/unicode_sub_converter.py
index 7f9648551c..b5f196d088 100644
--- a/pyrit/prompt_converter/unicode_sub_converter.py
+++ b/pyrit/prompt_converter/unicode_sub_converter.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 # Licensed under the MIT license.
 
 
+from typing import ClassVar
+
 from pyrit.models import ComponentIdentifier, PromptDataType
 from pyrit.prompt_converter.prompt_converter import ConverterResult, PromptConverter
 
@@ -14,13 +16,19 @@ class UnicodeSubstitutionConverter(PromptConverter):
     SUPPORTED_INPUT_TYPES = ("text",)
     SUPPORTED_OUTPUT_TYPES = ("text",)
 
-    def __init__(self, *, start_value: int = 0xE0000) -> None:
+    # Default Unicode starting point: the Tags block at U+E0000.
+    DEFAULT_START_VALUE: ClassVar[int] = 0xE0000
+
+    def __init__(self, *, start_value: int | None = None) -> None:
         """
         Initialize the converter with a specified unicode starting point.
 
         Args:
-            start_value (int): The unicode starting point to use for encoding.
+            start_value (int | None): The unicode starting point to use for encoding; defaults to
+                ``DEFAULT_START_VALUE`` (``0xE0000``).
         """
+        if start_value is None:
+            start_value = self.DEFAULT_START_VALUE
         self.startValue = start_value
 
     def _build_identifier(self) -> ComponentIdentifier: