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This page is considered a guideline on Wowpedia. It illustrates standards of conduct, which many editors agree with in principle. However, it is not policy.
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The Wowpedia renaming guideline (WP:RENAME) summarises Wowpedia editor practices whenever there is a name change inside World of Warcraft.
This guideline can be overridden where circumstances warrant it -- it is a general practice that will not match every situation. However, please try your best to keep to the advice outlined in this article so others may use your edits as an example in similar circumstances.
This guideline should be read alongside the Wowpedia Naming Policy which, unlike this guideline, is an accepted policy.
To move or not to move[]
A new page is appropriate if:
- Establishing something new in lore (not just a retcon)
- Accompanying a substantial change in purpose/function
- Diverging between Classic and Retail (not just waiting for the next hotfix/patch)
- Diverging between World of Warcraft and other media (games, books, etc.)
A new page is also appropriate if the article is highly-linked, including through templates, such that moving/renaming would be complex.
However, moving an article is preferred to preserve editor history for simple, inconsequential name changes. Usually it is appropriate to leave a redirect in place.
Patch changes[]
Regardless if moving or making a new page, readers should understand the old and new names through patch changes:
A content page that has been moved:
{{Patch 9.1.5|note=Renamed from "xxx".}}
{{Patch 2.0.1|note=Added.}}
An API page that has been moved:
{{Patch 9.1.5|note=Renamed to {{api|C_Namespace.xxx}}().}}
{{Patch 2.0.1|note=Added as <code>xxx()</code>.}}
A page left orphaned, while a new one is made:
{{Patch 9.1.5|note=Removed, replaced with [[xxx]].}}
A new page:
{{Patch 9.1.5|note=Added, replacing [[xxx]].}}
Examples[]
General[]
The following may be suitable for a simple move:
However, if the purpose or function changes then a new page may be more appropriate. For example, if a user interface panel changes name and function simultaneously then it is a new page.
NPCs[]
Named mobs usually require a new page because it establishes a new character in lore. This is particularly true if it:
- Relates to any quest.
- Appears in any other media.
- Changes appearance or behaviour in any observable way.
Conversely, most unnamed mobs (and even some named ones) only require a move if the only apparent change is the green floating text that, presumably, never existed in lore.
Abilities[]
Abilities usually only require a new page when there is a change in SpellID, indicating it is a new ability in the game database. Conversely, it is suitable to move the article to its new name, despite any coincident changes to what the ability does, when it is in fact a continuation of the same SpellID.
Zones[]
Patch 9.1.5 renamed the entire zone Mac'Aree to Eredath. While the patch was in the Public Test Realm, it was recognized that this highly-linked article would require coordinated edits to many pages, templates and categories. For a time, there was even an Ambox on the page to discourage enthusiastic editors:
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This article is temporarily protected from moves.
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API[]
Renamed functions and tables, particularly to the new C_Namespace format, may be suitable for a move. However, if the old name is likely to endure in Classic (example: the old auction house API) then a new page is necessary to retain the old documentation.