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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'':
<youtube>0bR5kvA0bo4</youtube>
* 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==
[[Image:Diary04-5.jpg|thumb|175px|The Butcher in [[Deckard Cain's Journal]]]] Although he wasn't particularly difficult to kill if you were the right character level he has become part of Diablo's popular culture with his [http://youtu.be/8wYyCISNkEI "Ahh, fresh meat!"] war cry he issues on bursting through the door. Such was his iconic status Blizzard released one special [[Diablo_III_shirts| Butcher t-shirt]] during Blizzcon 2009 and revealed another during a panel at San Diego Comic Con 2011.
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]].
==The Butcher in Previous Games==
The {{iw|Butcher Butcher}} appeared in [[Diablo]] as the first quest boss. He was found in a small square room somewhere on level 2 of the dungeon. Even before you open his door, a gruesome selection of bloody corpses can be seen hanging within, and most players make a thorough, wincing inspection of his room after the battle.
He did not appear in Diablo 2 giving him time to rest, recuperate and ready himself for Diablo 3.
==Butcher Gallery==