Changes

Blizzard attempted to obfuscate the Butcher's identity in the game files during the Diablo III [[beta]] by assigning him a "code name", being "Withers", which like all of the Diablo III internal code names, was equestrian in nature. A "withers" is an anatomical term for a portion of a horse's shoulder area.

==The Butcher's Return==

''Note: This article, while based upon information within the game's files, is still speculation. Even if it is correct at the present time, it is subject to change at release of the game in part or whole.''

Beneath [[Leoric's Manor]] lies the [[Halls of Agony]], home of the Butcher, where the Coven has been actively taking people they've abducted from [[New Tristram]] and [[Wortham]] to be sacrificed in chambers like the one pictured below.

[[File:Butcher_summoning.jpg|center|thumb|550px|Summoning chamber. The meat must be fresh.]]

===The Butcher In-Game===

Gossip option from Myriam the [[Mystic]], titled ''An Unnatural Beast'':

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* Butcher's Sickle: The Butcher has an ability similar to the [[Barbarian]]'s [[Ancient Spear]] where he can throw a sickle at a player and "reel them in" to melee range.

* Floor fire: The Butcher (or the player) can activate a panel which will send up billowing flames from the floor, perhaps ironically throwing a firewall at the player as this was a common strategy to defeat the Butcher in D1, or it will continue to be a strategy to defeat him in Diablo III, depending on who is hitting the panel to activate the fire.

==The Butcher's Road to Return==

In the second t-shirt, the Butcher appeared updated with huge horns and there was an entry in [[Deckard Cain's Journal]] with the same design of beast and these were enough to suggest that he will be making a return.

[[Image:Act bosses.jpg|frame|center|In the premier league now - The Butcher - [[Belial]] - [[Azmodan]] - [[Diablo]]]]

There is a legendary item that bears his name, [http://us.battle.net/d3/en/item/butchers-carver The Butcher's Carver]. Blizzard maintain that the stats of Legendary items are subject to change but putting the statistics of the item aside, the graphic matches the other two images so it's likely that as his weapon and the weapon available to players are identical in look this could be one of your rewards for killing him. It would be disjointed to come by his weapon in some other manner.

The Butcher has two [[items]] associated with him in Diablo III, being [[Withers%27s_Carver| the Butcher's Carver]], and [[The_Withers%27s_Sickle| the Butcher's Sickle]].

==Butcher Gallery==