Hearthstone Wiki:Editor's Handbook

Welcome to the Editor's Handbook. This page aims to help new editors learn how the wiki works, and to provide a useful reference for more experienced editors. The first part of the page comprises an overview of the basic systems on the wiki, while the second part provides step by step guides for performing common tasks.

Some things to bear in mind:
 * The guidelines on this page are not rules; they document current working practices on the wiki, and where appropriate provide explanations for these conventions.
 * While this page aims to be up to date, wiki conventions tend to evolve over time, meaning this handbook has the potential to grow out of date. In many cases, the simplest method for adhering to conventions is to check those in place on similar pages. However, this page offers more extensive listings for many current conventions, as well as explanations for their design.
 * This page can also provide a good grounding in the wiki's overall data system. However, in many cases learning is better achieved through exploring current pages and examining the systems in place.

While this guide can help editors learn to perform various maintenance tasks on the wiki, in case of problems, feel free to post a message on the talk page for the article in question, or for more general topics, the Community noticeboard.

For a style guide and basic editing tips, see Help:Style guide.

Cards
Cards are represented on the wiki through three types of page: the content page, the data page, and the card image or images.

The content page links to the data page, which in turn links to the card images. For example, Twisting Nether calls Data:Cards/Twisting Nether(398), which in turn uses File:Twisting Nether(398).png and File:Twisting Nether(398) Gold.png. Card images and data pages are also used directly in tables and visual card listings.

Content pages
Content pages are the normal card pages as seen on the wiki. Each content page calls Card infobox to display the image/s and basic information for the card, shown at the top-right of the article. This information is primarily drawn from the corresponding data page, and often some values provided through the Card infobox template itself at the top of the content page. The data page and images are stored separately in their own pages.

For information on Card infobox, see below.

Data pages
Data pages are special pages that start with  - for example, Data:Cards/Twisting Nether(398). Data pages are not directly shown on the main wiki, but provide background data and content for each card.

Each data page contains data for a specific card. This data is then transcluded into a content page via Card infobox, allowing the data page's content to be used.

In technical terms, data pages are simply instances of the Card data template, kept in their own namespace. The visual display for a data page shows a list of parameters, their current values, types and associated properties; any related images (as determined by the template); and at the top, links to any pages currently using the data (via Card infobox). However, the data page itself is simply a call to Card data, including a series of parameters.

The majority of card information is stored on data pages, and in order to edit card data it is usually necessary to access the data page. Data pages can be accessed through the [data page] link at the bottom of the Card infobox display on card content pages, or directly through typing the correct address.

Images
The wiki stores images for all cards, as well as many other things. While images in general have no strict system, card images do.

By default, each card accesses appropriate images based on file name. This is precisely the same name and numbering as the data page for that card. While this is the convention, if necessary (such as due to special character problems), the  parameter of Card data can be set to use different images.

The card system expects a regular (non-golden) image for each card, and will display an error image if one is not found. Where possible, a golden version should also be added. By default Card infobox attempts to display a regular card image, but will only display a golden image if one is present at the correct file name. However, if Card data's  parameter is set to False, no golden image will be displayed.

Numberings
All card data pages and images are numbered; content pages are not. For example, as stated above, "Twisting Nether" links to the "Twisting Nether(398)" data page, and so on. This is due to the fact that multiple cards (including heroes, enchantments, and other effects, which are all considered 'cards' by the game system) often have the same name; it is therefore necessary to be able to distinguish between them.

The specific numbers used are generated from Hearthpwn.com, and match the individual card pages on that site. This is important because the wiki periodically receives data imports using these numbers.

By default Card infobox searches for a data page with the same name as the content page, but when multiple data pages exist with the same name (but different numbers), an error message will be displayed. To ensure the content page is linked to the right data page (and images),  is used in the card's Card infobox call. For example, |datapage=Essence of the Red(14552) connects Essence of the Red (Heroic) with Data:Cards/Essence of the Red(14552), causing its data and images to be integrated into that page.

Card types
The wiki definition of a 'card' is much broader than the game definition. For wiki purposes, a 'card' includes: cards, Hero Powers, heroes (including bosses), and enchantments. All of these are treated as cards by the wiki, complete with content and data pages (and usually images), but with some differences.

In addition, the purpose or mode of the card, such as regular cards, boss cards, Tavern Brawl cards, alternate hero cards, debug cards, uncollectible cards, choice cards, system and wiki cards, and so on, strongly determine the content page style for the card, as well as where and how it will be listed. These types are set using  - see Card categories for more. Cards that cannot be collected are also marked as uncollectible. Conventions for each of these types can be best explored through examining current card pages.

Finally, while most cards are currently in the game, some are either upcoming or removed, which again affects how they are handled on the wiki.

The main differences for these types are summarised below. Adding new cards provides a detailed guide to creating cards of most of these types; those not covered in that guide have links of their own in their sections.

Hero Powers
Hero Powers are treated very similarly to regular cards, with some differences in the content page. Hero Powers are included in card lists.

Heroes
Heroes are handled very differently according to whether they are playable or non-playable (bosses). Playable heroes are split again by whether they are standard, or alternate heroes. Heroes are not included in card lists.

Bosses typically have special non-numbered data pages (in order to combine data from multiple versions), but are otherwise handled like other boss cards, except for their content pages, which are the main pages for the encounter in question, with less of a direct focus on the hero itself.

For playable heroes, see Adding new heroes. Bosses are a type of boss card: see "Boss and Tavern Brawl cards", below.

Enchantments
Enchantments are handled very differently from all other cards. They are not included in card lists, and are only listed on Enchantment list and the related subpages. Since enchantments are normally only added as part of the data import process, steps for adding enchantments can be found in the data import guide.

Uncollectible and choice cards
Uncollectible cards are marked using, to make it possible to list them separately from collectible cards. Their content pages are minimal, with almost all information hosted on the 'parent' card page.

Choice cards are special uncollectible cards that allow players to choose between possible effects, and do not otherwise exist. They are marked through  to keep them separate from other cards. These are not normally included in lists.

Upcoming and removed
Cards are frequently added to the wiki following reveals for new content, long before they are added to the live game itself. Similarly, the wiki documents some removed cards, which are not in the current game. Both types are marked through  to keep them separate from other cards. Upcoming cards are usually listed separately below the main lists (see List cards), while removed cards are usually confined to Removed card.

Boss and Tavern Brawl cards
Cards exclusive to adventures and Tavern Brawls are marked through  to keep them separate from cards available in regular play. They are listed separately, on pages like Boss card and Tavern Brawl card, and have their own content page conventions, mostly referring readers to the main encounter or Brawl page.

Alternate hero cards
Alternate hero cards are cosmetic variants on existing Hero Powers and related cards added for use with alternate heroes. Because these are functionally identical to the default versions, they are marked through  to prevent duplicates in lists. Card data is set normally for these cards (including card set, if any), but they are not normally included in other categories, such as Category:Standard format cards, or as a rule linked to, except when specifically referencing the alternate hero's version. For example, Fireblast is the main page for all content relating to the basic mage Hero Power, regardless of whether Jaina, Medivh or Khadgar is being played.

Debug cards
Debug cards are special cards designed for use by and exclusively available to the developers themselves. They are marked through  to keep them separate from regular cards, and are only listed on Debug card.

System and wiki cards
These types of card are very rare, but are useful for handling exceptions to the usual rules. System cards are for hidden cards that exist in regular play without being available (such as C'Thun (system card)), while wiki cards are 'dummy' cards created for very exceptional display needs (such as Jade Golem). Both types are marked through  to keep them separate from other cards. Do not create these types of pages unless you are very confident it is appropriate.

Card infobox
Card infobox is the template that allows cards to be recognised as cards by the wiki, and thus included in listings and searches, and is one of the most central and important on the site. It is used to integrate data pages and images into each card content page, as well as to display the infobox itself. It also sets numerous critical values which will decide how the card is sorted and tagged. It is included at the top of every card content page.

The template transcludes the contents of the associated data page, adds the page to a number of important categories, and renders the visual infobox itself, displaying various information and images for the card. The data and categories added by this template then allow the card to be sorted and searched for by listings templates.

It is often necessary to pass arguments directly to the template, primarily to add certain types of information not included in the data page, such as tags, collectible status, and wiki categories; or to specify a data page to use.

A guide to some of the key points is provided below. For additional details on the template's function, see Card infobox.

Infobox abilities, tags, etc
Data displayed in card infoboxes (called through Card infobox) is a combination of the data on that card's data page, and specific parameters passed through Card infobox via the content page itself. For full listings of parameters, see Card infobox.

Arguments passed from the content page can be used to override or add to data on the card data page, but more importantly can be used for certain purposes which cannot be achieved through the data page, but only through the content page. The main parameters are:


 * - setting a card category (see below)
 * - specifying the source card for a choice card
 * This should only be used for choice cards. If the card is a choice card, this should always have a value.
 * - adding abilities to any already listed on the data page; key card effects, these are shown in the infobox
 * - setting tags; non-ability traits or behaviours, these are shown in the infobox
 * - similar to tags, but hidden; used purely for sorting purposes
 * - set to "false" for removed cards (not currently used)
 * - set to "true" for card which are only available to the developers (primarily debug cards - not currently used)

Card categories
Card categories are used to separate cards which are used in regular play from those which are not. This keeps those cards from showing up in tables and card lists, and allows them to be listed in their own tables and lists. For example Beast only displays cards available in regular matches, while Removed card only lists cards that have been removed from the game.

Card categories are put into effect through wiki categories, such as Category:Cards. While wiki categories are used for various purposes, each card is included in certain wiki categories depending on its card category. Note that each card is placed into two matching categories: the "cards" category and the "card data" category. For example, Boss cards are put into Category:Boss cards and Category:Boss card data.

The default card category uses Category:Cards and Category:Card data, listing all fully functional cards included in regular play. The other main card categories are Boss, Tavern Brawl, Alternate hero, Debug and Credits. In addition, there are three sub-categories to indicate special states: Upcoming, Removed and Choice.

The conventional sequence is "Category:[Upcoming/Removed][main category][choice] cards". For example, a removed boss card would be placed in Category:Removed boss cards, while a choice card from a Tavern Brawl would be in Category:Tavern Brawl choice cards. Note that "Upcoming Boss" and "Upcoming Tavern Brawl" are not normally used since there is no harm in including cards in the main boss and Tavern Brawl categories ahead of time.

While not a comprehensive list, the main card categories used are:

Card category is set through Card infobox, using the  parameter. This will automatically include the card in the corresponding wiki categories. Note that the parameter is not used for regular (default category) cards, only for those needing to be placed in other categories. Adding any value to  will essentially remove the card from all listings except those that specify the stated category.

When creating cards, it is especially important to categorise upcoming, boss and Tavern Brawl cards correctly, as they will otherwise be sorted as regular, currently available cards. When new content is released, "Upcoming" must be removed from the new cards' categories, in order to allow them to be integrated into the main lists.

Abilities, tags and hiddentags
Abilities, tags and hiddentags are three different types of properties that can be set through Card infobox. Abilities can also be set through the data page, but since the majority of the terms used are wiki-specific and are not included in imports, it is easiest to add all of these through the content page; that way the terms currently used can be easily check, compared and changed.

As a rule:
 * Abilities are active things the card does. This chiefly includes keywords like Charge and Battlecry, but can also include things like draw cards and restore Health.
 * Tags are groupings and labels appropriate to the card. These primarily describe the type of things the card does, or how it does them, for example triggered effect, random and area of effect. All "-related" and "-generating" labels are tags, such as Secret-related or Dragon-generating.
 * Hiddentags are for internal wiki purposes, and are not shown to readers. Hiddentags are used primarily to sort within tags, such as different type of triggered effect, without cluttering the infobox or confusing readers; this allows cards to be listed in multiple separate tables, or only cards of a specific subtype to be listed. Hiddentags are rarely needed, and should be used sparingly. Since they are not displayed, and because the divisions are often numerous, hiddentags are often lengthy, and care must be taken to match the wording precisely.

For all three types, it is important that all examples use the precise same wording; cards will otherwise fail to appear in list and tables. The best way to find the right terms is to check similar cards. However, be careful only to copy those terms which are appropriate. For example, as a healing card Reno Jackson uses the "Restore Health" ability, but the "Health-related" tag is specific to his behaviour (restoring an amount of Health equal to the character's maximum Health value), and is not shared with most other healing effects.

With the addition of new cards and divisions, it is occasionally necessary to add new terms. If doing so, try to match the phrasing of existing terms as much as possible. All current abilities and tags should be listed on Abilities, and abilities in Game terms.

Game formats
Standard format creates a subset of cards which are available within Standard matches. The current approach on the wiki with regard to card lists is to display only Standard cards by default on the major card list pages, and to provide listings for Wild format-exclusive cards separately, either through subsequent lists on the same page, or on their own "/Wild format" subpages (e.g. Charge/Wild format).

This is due both to a desire to reflect the overall focus of the game on Standard format, and to technical limitations on the wiki with regard to card lists, which mirror the concerns which prompted the creation of Standard format: with an ever-increasing card pool, any given list will eventually grow too long to present on the wiki, especially in visual form. Focusing on Standard format allows us to maintain useful, functional and accessible card listings, in an ongoingly viable form. Wild subpages are more future-proof than same-page listings, but all Wild listings will eventually face the challenges described above.

Wild subpages are usually used when the list is extensive (to avoid overburdening the main page), or to enable readers to read a unified list of all cards available in Wild. When the list is not (yet) overlong, Wild cards can be listed on the main page beneath the Standard listings, mainly using List cards/Wild, to ensure they are hidden unless readers wish to see them.

Unlike most characteristics, format is marked through manually adding the card to the appropriate category, at the bottom of the page: cards currently in Standard format are included in Category:Standard format cards, while cards exclusive to Wild format are instead included in Category:Wild format cards.

For a list of things to do at the start of the new Standard year, see New Standard year.

Listings
The wiki lists cards in several ways, based on a variety of user-specified search parameters. Most are automated, based on the properties set for each card through the data page and Card infobox. This is useful because it allows lists to update themselves as cards are added or removed from the relevant lists, without needing maintenance.

Therefore, as a rule, to add or remove a card from a list, simply edit the properties for that card, rather than the list. Whereas to change the nature or parameters for the search itself, edit the list. For information on adding properties through the content page, see Card infobox.

Several different templates are used for lists, depending on the situation. The most common template is List cards, which combines a visual and table display, and has some useful subtemplates. Cards can also be listed only visually or only in tables.

As a rule, Card is useful for listing individual cards, or short lists that will not or must not change. If the list is expected or desired to change over time, an automated list should be used, so that the display will update itself without needing maintenance.

Visual
Visual displays lack the sorting capabilities of tables, but present cards visually for quicker recognition and full representation.

Card images can be visually listed manually through Card. For example, produces:

Cards can also be listed visually through Cards, which displays all cards that meet the stated criteria. This is comparable to a table, but displayed visually, and once the template is set up, is fully automated, updating the display each time the page is recached.

Tables
Various templates exist for listing cards in tables. Custom card table is the default template used, while Custom minion card table, Custom spell card table and Custom weapon card table are tailored for the matching card types, with columns not used by that type omitted.

Tables are collapsed by default, and even when opened take up less space than visual listings. For this reason they are often used alone for very long card lists, and for most lists on individual card pages, where a visual list would take up too much space or take too long to load. They can also be sorted by their various columns. However, they are generally less accessible than visual listings.

List cards
The main approach used for listings is List cards, which combines the appropriate table template with Cards. While visual and table templates are sometimes used in isolation, in most card listings List cards is used instead to combine the two without extra typing.

List cards/Upcoming provides a special function in creating a section complete with header and introduction, that lists all cards marked as upcoming. This is commonly used immediately below List cards to automatically list upcoming cards when they are added to the wiki. This is useful during the build-up to expansion and adventure releases, as cards are revealed ahead of release. When there are no matching upcoming cards, the section does not appear.

List cards/Wild is a very similar template, with the key difference that it searches for cards marked as being exclusive to Wild format (see below). Like List cards/Upcoming, if successful it creates its own section complete with header and introduction, but additionally the section is hidden by default, to reduce confusion with the Standard format options.

Counts
It can sometimes be useful to directly display a count of cards for a given search, mostly for template and debug purposes. This can be achieved using Card count.

Specifying cards
Whenever listing cards through templates other than Card, the desired cards are selected through various template parameters, matching card properties, such as cost, type or abilities. These only allow one property for each parameter, for example Taunt or Charge, but not both or either. For example, to list all uncollectible mage spells, you might type:

For a list of parameters, see template documentation such as Custom card table/doc.

All these parameters work by combining to form a query, which is then used to search for cards. However, editors can choose to instead manually enter a query, using.
 * Queries

Queries are not hard to write correctly, but do require some technical knowledge. An example query entry would be |query=Has card type::SpellIs collectible::FalseHas class::Druid instead of the equivalent |format=standard|type=spell|collectible=false|class=druid

A guide to the format can be found at https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Selecting_pages.

Manual queries are mostly used for searches that go beyond the capabilities of the usual templates. Most commonly this means searches with multiple or alternate requirements.

Artists
Artists and artist data are sorted on the wiki much like cards.

Each card page has an "Artist" section, which uses Setartist to set and link to the artist responsible for the card's art. See that template for full documentation.

Each individual artist has their own page, which uses List cards/Artist to search for all cards tagged for that artist, and display them. The template also generates current card count values for each type of card.

Finally, Artist displays a series of tables listing card counts for each artist on the wiki, based on the values generated by the individual artist pages.

Unknown artist lists all cards without a specific artist set, useful for finding cards that are yet to be credited to the artist responsible.

Voice actors
Voice actors use a very similar system to that for artists. For an overview, see Artists.

The only differences are the specific templates and pages: card pages use Setvoice, individual voice actor pages use List cards/Voice, and the number of credits for each actor are collated on Voice actor.

There is no equivalent "Unknown voice actor" article, since the voice actors are currently unknown for the vast majority of cards, and this is likely to remain the case.

Card art
Full art for each card is displayed in the "Gallery" section, if available. This is uploaded to the wiki whenever possible, usually following the format "File:NAME full" as either a jpg or png. The file itself should be documented using Card artwork.

The various card art subpages list all regular cards featuring characters or creatures of the stated race or type. Card art is categorised in two ways:
 * Subject. The race or type of minions themselves. These categories are not used on spells or weapons, only cards that are intended to depict an actual character of the type specified. For example, Category:Beasts, Category:Dragons, Category:Night elves.
 * Other characters. The race or type of other characters or creatures depicted in the card art, but not represented by the card itself. For example, Category:Beast art, Category:Dragon art, Category:Night elf art.

For example, Wilfred Fizzlebang is included in Category:Gnomes (for Fizzlebang himself) and Category:Demon art (for the large demon shown standing behind him); while Mind Blast is included in Category:Gnome art and Category:Undead art.

Note that card art categories do not always match minion type, but are based on the underlying lore. For example, Wrathion is a well-known dragon, but is not of the Dragon minion type. Consequently he is not listed on Dragon, but is included in Category:Dragons, and thus listed on Dragon art.

Card art categories are based on what is visible within the art shown on the card itself, not the full art. They are also based on the regular version, rather than the golden version, which is made separately and sometimes adds additional characters. In both cases this is in order to reflect the main art seen within the game itself, which is also that shown in the card art pages' visual lists.

Not every race and type has its own art page. Category:Uncategorised art is used for others, as well as for characters of uncertain race. This makes it easier for editors to later find such cards when creating new pages in the future.

For further policy discussions, see Talk:Card art.

Hidden sections
A few specific types of section are hidden by default, with readers able to click to expand the section if desired:



Such sections are usually confined to a few specific articles and templates, but can be appropriate for lengthy, optional content, such as in Mean Streets of Gadgetzan, where they can provide a far more accessible alternative to creating a separate page.

The sections are implemented through divs. For example, the above section was created using the following text:



The title is specified through the  parameter, with the content between the divs. Don't forget to close the divs after the content!

New patches
Updates are periodically made to Hearthstone through patches. All patches and patch changes should be documented. Patches that add content for new expansions are part of a larger process: see New expansions.


 * Create a new page at Patch X. Make sure the numbers are correct; they can be found in the launcher following the patch’s installation.
 * Copy the style on a recent patch page, taking care to change all relevant details to match the new patch.
 * Official patch notes should be available from the official site, or featured on Hearthpwn.com. Copy/paste this into the "Patch notes" section, and add the official site link at the top. Note that these are not always available immediately.
 * Add the patch to the list on Patches.
 * If the patch is the first of a new release era, start a new section, following the existing style.
 * Add the patch to Patches.
 * If the patch is the first of a new release era, start a new section, following the existing style.
 * Create a new patch template. Open the template for a recent patch (e.g. Patch 7.1.0.17720) and copy it into a template for the new patch number, taking care to replace relevant data.
 * If the patch accompanies a new content release, there is probably already a patch template, using the format "Template:NAME patch", for example Journey to Un'Goro patch. In this case, instead of creating a new template, simply move the old template to the new patch number, making sure to leave a redirect in place, and update the information displayed by the template. The template will need to be updated when the patch is released.
 * Now go through the changes one by one, adding them to the wiki. Depending on the change, various steps may be necessary.
 * If the patch added new cards or card backs, add them to the wiki. See Adding new cards and Card backs.
 * For changes to existing pages, two main steps are necessary:
 * Document the changes in the "Patch changes" sections on relevant pages. The text from the official patch notes can be used as description for the change.
 * Review the page and check whether updates are necessary to bring it up to date. Articles should always document the current version of the game. Notes such as "Now with Patch X this is no longer the case" should not be added; instead simply update outdated sections to match the current situation. It is usually not necessary to note within the article that things have changed (this is the job of the "Patch changes" section), however in the case of major/critical changes, a brief note can be provided, highlighting that changes have been made (this may be removed later); aside from this the article should state the current state of the game without reference to changes.
 * For changes to existing cards or heroes, these should be added to the individual card pages. Bugfixes are not usually listed. Intentional and specific changes to cards should also be listed in the Card changes article.
 * Depending on the change it may be necessary to adjust the content page, data page and/or images. See Card changes for a list of steps.
 * For broader changes to how a specific ability or card type works, these should be added to the ability or type page.
 * For changes to major systems, these should be added to the system page.

As well as officially announced patch changes, patches often bring many other changes to the game. These may be listed on Hearthpwn, Hearthhead and sometimes reddit.
 * Check at least Hearthpwn and Hearthhead within a few days of the patch, and gather any additional changes; add them in the "Undocumented changes" section.
 * Add a reference or link where possible, to allow others to verify/investigate in the future.
 * Undocumented changes may include the addition of new cards, such as Tavern Brawl cards - for a guide, see Adding new cards.
 * Official patch notes are sometimes also updated within a few days of release, and may include additional changes or already documented 'undocumented' changes.

Adding new cards
This page outlines the basic steps to create a new card, as well as additional steps for specific card types.

Adding new heroes
Every so often a new alternate hero is added. For non-playable heroes, such as adventure and Tavern Brawl bosses, see Adding new cards.

Heroes are often previewed prior to being released, and Hearthpwn may not set a number until release. As a result it is often necessary to initially create non-numbered data pages and images, which must then be moved or deleted once the hero is released.


 * Create the content page (base it on a recent similar page).
 * Get "Background" content and images from.
 * Create a data page.
 * Upload a hero portrait image if possible.
 * Add the new hero to the corresponding class (e.g. Rogue), following the style on that page (or other class pages).
 * Add the new hero to Hero, Alternate hero and Class, following the style on each page.
 * Add the new hero to Heroes.
 * This will require making and uploading a small image for use in the template (ask for help if necessary).
 * Add the new hero to the Class/Heroes section on the front page (ask an admin for help if necessary).
 * When new versions of Hero Powers and related cards are added for this hero, be sure to mark them as alternate hero cards. See Alternate hero cards for details.

Should a new class at some point be added to the game, this will be a far larger undertaking, but will follow roughly the same steps described above. Seek help from the Curse tech liaison regarding adjusting the front page.

Adding new Tavern Brawls
Several steps need to be taken each week when the latest Tavern Brawl goes live. If the latest Tavern Brawl is entirely new, some additional steps need to be taken.


 * Tavern Brawl:
 * Tables:
 * Add the Brawl to the History table.
 * If the Brawl is a repeat, add it to the Repeated Tavern Brawls table.
 * Sections:
 * Move the current contents of the "Latest Tavern Brawl" section down into the "Previous Tavern Brawls" section.
 * If the Brawl is a repeat, find the matching section and move it up to the "Latest Tavern Brawl" section.
 * If the Brawl is new, a new section needs to be made for it. Copy that used for the latest Tavern Brawl and adjust it accordingly.
 * If the Brawl is new, download the official banner art and upload it for use in the Tavern Brawl article.


 * Individual Brawl article:
 * If the Brawl is a repeat:
 * Update the "History" section.
 * Check the article to make sure it’s up to date and reflects any changes to the Brawl since last time, and check if there’s anything that needs improving.
 * If the Brawl is new:
 * Create a new article, using that of a recent Tavern Brawl as a template.
 * Upload a clean screenshot of the Tavern Brawl screen this week. Match the size and style of previous screenshots.


 * Brawls template:
 * If the Brawl is new, add it to the Brawls template, in the appropriate section.


 * Brawl cards:
 * If the Brawl includes cards not already documented on the wiki, create pages for them. See Adding new cards.
 * Check through all related Tavern Brawl cards and make sure that they:
 * List the current Brawl in their "Tavern Brawls" section
 * Are marked as belonging to the Tavern Brawl set
 * Are marked as belonging to Category:Tavern Brawl cards (or Category:Tavern Brawl choice cards), through |category (this is visible through the categories at the bottom of the page)
 * Are listed correctly on the Tavern Brawl card article

Every so often it will be necessary to dock the lists, to ensure the article doesn't become too lengthy.


 * Entries in the "History" section are not deleted, but are moved to the hidden "Older Tavern Brawls" section.
 * Specific Brawl sections can be moved down to below the start of the 'hidden section' comment.

New expansions
All new cards and content for upcoming expansions should be added to the wiki as quickly as possible. The most important element is the cards themselves, but other content and information should also be added whenever possible.

NB: As of 2017, the role of adventures is changing, and may be handled as part of expansions rather than releases in themselves. The below information relates to the main content release.


 * Pre-announcement
 * Prior to announcement, an "Upcoming expansion" page can be created, for teasers, etc.


 * Announcement
 * Once the expansion is announced, create a page for the expansion. If there was already an "Upcoming expansion" page, move that to the new title and put its main contents into a "History" section.
 * A recent page of the same kind (e.g. the page for the previous expansion) can be used as a guide for layout and content. If copying blocks of text be sure to delete all content and sections that aren’t appropriate for the new page.
 * Go through each section and add as much information as you can. Many sections will initially be empty; these can be removed or hidden between comment tags until they are needed.
 * As each new card is revealed, add it to the wiki: See Adding new cards.
 * Make sure to add cards to the main content page.
 * Add related content to the relevant main pages:
 * Add related card backs to Card back. See Card backs.
 * Add new battlefields to Battlefield, following the style there.
 * Create a working title template for the patch in which the content will be released, based on a recent patch template, following the "not yet implemented" style (2017 example).
 * Create a banner for the new content, based on previous content banners (2017 example). Ensure this is added to the top of every new card and ability page.
 * Update List cards/Upcoming, so that the correct expansion/adventure is listed in upcoming cards sections.
 * Add the content to Expansions or Adventures.
 * If new abilities or tags have been added, create new pages for them, and add them to Abilities if appropriate. Abilities should also be added to Card nav.
 * If new races are added or depicted for the first time, consider creating a new art page for them. Copy a similar page (e.g. Draenei art), and add the new race to Card art and the list on Card art.
 * As blogs are released, add them to the "External links" section on the main page.
 * Add any relevant images, lore, or information from blogs to the main page or card/ability pages.
 * At some point, the new expansion/adventure should be added as feature for the front page. This should be handled by Gamepedia, but they may require prompting.
 * A variety of content for the main page and other pages can be found in the expansion press kit, which can be found at https://blizzard.gamespress.com/Hearthstone.
 * Check each of the tabs and download any content that might be useful. Note that many of the image files are extremely large, and will need to be sized down in order to be used on the wiki.

Shortly before the expansion is released, the final patch should be made available, and third party sites will datamine its content.
 * Patch datamining
 * Follow the usual process for a new patch (see New patches).
 * In addition to the usual steps listed there, the datamining will contain additional information on cards already added to the wiki.
 * Add flavor text to card data pages, by copy/pasting it from Hearthpwn.com.
 * Artist data can be found online or in the Collection, and should be added to each card page.
 * Golden images will be available for the first time, and can be added manually. However, these should be imported shortly by a data import, and thus may not be worth the trouble to handle manually.
 * Similarly, boss cards associated with the expansion should be imported shortly by a data import. Depending on how soon the boss encounters go live, it is usually easier to wait for the import than to upload the data and images manually, but since imports often take days or weeks, it may be necessary to handle some manually.
 * The patch may also contain other information to be added to the main expansion page, or other pages.

Once the expansion is live, or shortly before (usually following the patch):
 * Release
 * Remove the "Upcoming" part from the  calls on all new cards.
 * Note that other categories may remain; for example new choice cards should be changed from "Upcoming choice" to "Choice".
 * Remove the expansion banner from the top of the page for new cards, abilities, minion types, and so on.
 * A good way to check that all cards have been processed is to check the 'What links here' page for the expansion banner template - this will show any pages that have not yet been updated, and once all new card/ability pages have been updated, this page should be empty.
 * Note the release on the expansion page itself, as well as other pages such as Expansion and Hearthstone timeline that may mention it.
 * A second press kit is often released at https://blizzard.gamespress.com/Hearthstone following the launch of the expansion, containing additional content.

At some point following the release of the accompanying patch, a data import should be actioned by Gamepedia. For information and a guide to handling this, see Data imports.

New Standard year
At the start of each Standard year, certain things must be done:


 * The pages for each Wild content should be updated, and it made clear that the content is now wild. The main content pages' "How to get" sections will need to be updated as well.
 * Cards moved to Wild should have Category:Standard format cards removed and Category:Wild format cards added. This will ensure the wiki treats them as Wild and not Standard cards. This can be done manually, or a bot may be requested. (Note that all cards are in fact included in Wild format, but for technical reasons only cards exclusive to the format are marked as such.)
 * Standard format should of course be updated extensively in several ways.
 * Most importantly, the card sets for the current year must be updated.
 * How to get/Expert must be updated: the names of the expansion sets moved to Wild format should be moved to the upper section of the template; the How to get sections on those card pages will thus be automatically updated.
 * The How to get template for any now-Wild adventure (e.g. How to get/Blackrock) must be updated to reflect that it is now Wild.
 * Adventures and Expansions should move the Wild content down to the Wild format section.
 * Update tables and lists on now-Wild cards to use Wild instead of Standard.
 * For example, Neptulon is not available in Standard format, so the table on his page should list Murlocs available in Wild format, not Standard.
 * Note that in some cases the resulting list may be too large to display; in this case the visual list can be removed (replace List cards with Custom card table).

Card changes
Whenever a card is changed, the wiki should be updated to reflect and record the changes. Changes are implemented through patches - see New patches for a guide to updates following a patch.

Card changes are usually documented in official patch notes, but on occasion may be undocumented. In the latter case a solid reference must be provided, and should be cited in articles.

Card changes should be documented as soon as announced, even if not yet implemented. However, changes are not always announced, or spotted until they have been made.

When the change is announced:


 * Add a summary of the change to the "Patch changes" section on the card page, using the official patch notes text.
 * If additional commentary is released explaining the changes, add this as a comment (e.g. Force of Nature), although this shouldn't be too lengthy - quote a paragraph discussing the specific card change, rather than a whole section discussing wider changes.
 * Do not update the card's data or the article's content to match the new version, until the change is live. The wiki should always reflect the current version of the game.
 * Instead, add TBC at the very top of the card page. This will alert readers to the upcoming changes, and direct them to the "Patch changes" section for details.

When the change goes live:


 * Remove the TBC template from the page.
 * Update the card's text, stats, type, ability and tags, and other data to match the new version.
 * If the card text, stats or type have changed, a new image will be needed. One should be available from Hearthpwn.com in time, although it may be necessary to wait for that site to be updated. NB: This is usually a matter of a few weeks, but may take several months.
 * While waiting, Image out of date can be added at the top of the card page (just after the infobox) to warn readers, and to remind editors to check for an updated version.
 * Check the page's notes and strategy and update or remove as necessary.
 * If the change is significant and intentional, add it to Card changes, copying the style there.

If a change is not discovered until following the patch, follow the above steps, skipping the use of TBC. Undocumented changes are handled the same as documented changes, except that a patch change note must be written to describe the details of the change, and link the source of the information (this can be the same as that on the patch page).

Card backs
Whenever a new card back is revealed, it should be added to the wiki.


 * Upload a high quality image of the card back.
 * These can usually be sourced from Hearthpwn.com.
 * High quality is strongly preferred, but in some cases it may be necessary to accept a lower quality until a better version becomes available.
 * Make sure the file name matches the convention File:Card back-NAME.png.
 * On Card back, add the card to the appropriate section.
 * New card backs are usually "Not yet obtainable", with a few exceptions.
 * Note that this means the card back will need to be moved to the "Obtainable" section when it becomes obtainable.
 * Follow the convention on the page, using the appropriate templates.
 * The easiest way to do this is to copy the template for a similar card back, taking care to adjust the details as appropriate.
 * Check the  parameter is set appropriately: 25% for each card in that row.
 * Click 'Show preview' and visually check the page looks right before saving the edit.

Adding card backs can mean needing to adjust the current listings:
 * When adding card backs to the "No longer obtainable" section, simply add them at the end of the list - this should produce a roughly chronological order.
 * When adding card backs to the "Obtainable" section, try to add them in groupings, such as putting all the alternate hero card backs together.
 * This may mean shuffling card backs down to the next row - make sure there are at most 4 card backs in each row.
 * When moving Ranked card backs, note that the last month's reward is always replaced by the new reward, so there is no need to adjust the order of the other obtainable card backs: simply switch the two cells.
 * If moving or adding a card back requires a new row, copy the format from the row above, taking care to copy everything between each set of comment tags.
 * Add a new comment tag to highlight the new row.
 * If moving a card back results in an empty row, you can delete the row, or simply hide it in comment tags for now - it may be needed again before long.

Ongoing maintenance for the Card back article requires moving cards to the appropriate section as they become available or unavailable. This mostly applies to Ranked reward card backs, which will need to be moved each month.


 * Check the cards in the "Obtainable" list for any which are no longer obtainable, and move these down.
 * Check the cards in the "Not yet obtainable" list for any which are now obtainable, and move them up.
 * In all cases make sure to correct the  parameter for the row the card is added to or removed from: 25% for each card in that row.

Data imports
The wiki periodically receives data imports from Hearthpwn. This guide gives an overview of the process, and covers the procedure for integrating this data into the wiki.

Fixing missing cards
Caching errors mean cards may sometimes go missing from the wiki. This guide explains why and how to fix it.

Ongoing maintenance
The following is a list of some of the tasks involved in the ongoing maintenance of the wiki. Tasks are divided roughly by priority; this is not a strict breakdown but can help with prioritising. Most tasks are explained in more detail below; clicking on a task will take you to the appropriate section.

Top priority

 * Create pages for new expansions/adventures.
 * Add new and upcoming cards to the wiki.
 * Handle data imports.
 * Update cards to reflect card changes.

High priority

 * Create pages for new Tavern Brawls, and update related pages.
 * Create pages for new patches, and update related pages.
 * Add events info for current and upcoming events.
 * Add new card backs.

Medium priority

 * Adjust listings on Card back as card backs become available or no longer available.
 * Add new Ranked seasons to the list at Ranked

Low priority

 * Collect developer notes and trivia from Twitter, reddit, interviews and blogs.
 * Create pages for newly confirmed Team 5 members.
 * Update Team 5 pages for promotions, departures, etc.
 * Add information on upcoming features to In development, and update/remove older listings. (This is a surprisingly high traffic page, so an effort should be made to keep it reasonably up to date.)
 * Add Designer Insights videos, and content from them to relevant pages.
 * Add major events to the Hearthstone timeline. One day your grandkids will thank you.
 * Add official and third-party April Fools.

Miscellaneous/ongoing

 * Patrol edits for vandalism and spam
 * Tag pages in need of deletion with Delete
 * Check for and correct errors