This item is acquired in-game. See its sources below.
A Rare One-Handed Axe, item level 13, requires level 8, binds when picked up. Drops from Lord Walden in Shadowfang Keep.
| Drop | Lord Walden in Shadowfang Keep | Normal, 10 Player |
|---|
First seen in build 1.15.9.68940 (Classic).
In Classic Era it is item level 25, requires level 20 and sells to vendors for 33s. In The Burning Crusade it is item level 25, requires level 20 and sells to vendors for 33s. In Wrath of the Lich King it is item level 25, requires level 20 and sells to vendors for 33s. In MoP Classic it is item level 21, requires level 16 and sells to vendors for 19s 89c.
| Version | Item level | Required level | Quality | Binding | Sells for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail (Midnight) | 13 | 8 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 25s 85c |
| Classic Era | 25 | 20 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 33s |
| The Burning Crusade | 25 | 20 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 33s |
| Wrath of the Lich King | 25 | 20 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 33s |
| MoP Classic | 21 | 16 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 19s 89c |
In the Appearances collection, Butcher's Cleaver is listed as Boss Drop. Appearance ID: 360. 4 other items wear the same appearance:
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files.
The in-game Adventure Guide lists Butcher's Cleaver in the loot of 1 encounter.
Lord Walden in Shadowfang Keep
Also drops from this encounter (9 other items):
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files (JournalEncounterItem, JournalEncounterCreature, Achievement) and the Blizzard Game Data quest API.
In their in-game specialization descriptions, these specs name axes among their preferred weapons:
The 10 items nearest to Butcher's Cleaver (item level 13) in item level among Weapon > Axe, from item level 5 to 23.
| Item | Item Level | Requires Level | Stats | Lowest Listed Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butcher's Cleaver (this item) | 13 | 8 | 1.9 DPS, +2 Agility, +3 Stamina, +2 Versatility, +1 Critical Strike. Boss Drop | Not listed |
 Black Metal Axe | 15 | 9 | 2.3 DPS, +3 Stamina, +3 Strength. World Drop | Not listed |
 Thick War Axe | 10 | 6 | 1.3 DPS, +1 Stamina, +1 Strength. Crafted with Classic Blacksmithing | Not listed |
| Headsplitter | 18 | 11 | 2.9 DPS, +2 Strength, +4 Stamina | Not listed |
| Vibroblade | 18 | 11 | 2.9 DPS. World Drop | Not listed |
 Hillborne Axe | 20 | 13 | 3.5 DPS, +3 Agility, +5 Stamina. World Drop | Not listed |
 Gloom Reaper | 21 | 14 | 3.5 DPS, +3 Agility, +5 Stamina. World Drop | Not listed |
 Edge of Winter | 21 | 14 | 3.5 DPS, +3 Stamina. Crafted with Classic Blacksmithing | Not listed |
 Scalping Tomahawk | 5 | 3 | 0.6 DPS, +1 Agility, +1 Stamina. World Drop | Not listed |
 Greater Scythe | 22 | 15 | 3.5 DPS, +3 Agility, +5 Stamina. World Drop | Not listed |
| Heavy Mithril Axe | 23 | 16 | 3.7 DPS, +3 Agility or Strength. Crafted with Classic Blacksmithing | Not listed |
Heavy Mithril Axe has the highest item level here (23).
Next item levels up from Butcher's Cleaver among Weapon > Axe: Ebonclaw Reaver (item level 24), Flurry Axe (item level 25), Crescent Edge (item level 25), Axe of Rin'ji (item level 27) and Dawn's Edge (item level 28).
Nearest lower item levels below Butcher's Cleaver among Weapon > Axe: Dornogal Guard's Splitter (item level 1), Coreway Pickaxe (item level 1), Forest Berserker's Hatchet (item level 1), Twilight Gut Ripper (item level 1) and Phaseblade Headsplitter (item level 1).
Built from the World of Warcraft client build files and recorded Auction House snapshots.
Butcher's Cleaver uses icon file 132417, which 13 other items also use. The 8 closest by item ID:
Meat Cleaver ID 1827 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 17Cleaver ID 2029 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 12Brashclaw's Chopper ID 2203 · Weapon - Two-Handed Axe · item level 11Curve-Bladed Ripper ID 2815 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 24Copper Axe ID 2845 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 4Deadman Cleaver ID 3293 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 2Keen Axe ID 3785 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 21Marauder Axe ID 4826 · Weapon - One-Handed Axe · item level 16Blizzard numbers items as they are created, so the named items next to ID 1292 (1282 to 1299) were usually added in the same batch as Butcher's Cleaver: the same quest line, zone, vendor or reward set.
Sparkmetal Coif ID 1282 · Armor - Plate · item level 19
Verner's Note ID 1283 · Quest
Crate of Horseshoes ID 1284 · Quest "There's a note attached to this crate."
Giant Tarantula Fang ID 1287 · Weapon - Dagger · item level 8
Large Venom Sac ID 1288 · Trade Goods · item level 10
The State of Lakeshire ID 1293 · Quest "Written by Magistrate Solomon, this report details the events unfolding in Redridge."
The General's Response ID 1294 · Quest "General Marcus Jonathan's response to Magistrate Solomon's plea for help."
Blackrock Mace ID 1296 · Weapon - One-Handed Mace · item level 13
Robes of the Shadowcaster ID 1297 · Armor - Cloth · item level 19
Lesser Belt of the Spire ID 1299 · Armor - Cloth · item level 14The raw ItemSparse values for item 1292 in the current client build.
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files: Item, ItemSparse, Lock, Holidays, AreaTable and CollectableSourceVendor.
Butcher's Cleaver is in the Classic Era game data, the era World of Warcraft: Forever is built on. Blizzard describes Forever as vanilla World of Warcraft plussed up: its story sits in year one, characters level to 60 and stay there, and it launches November 4, 2026. Blizzard has not said which vanilla items appear in Forever, so nothing here is a Forever claim; it is the Classic Era record for Butcher's Cleaver next to the live retail market on this page.
Read next: World of Warcraft: Forever is Classic+, launching November 4 · Forever's class revamps and new race and class combinations · Classic Era page for Butcher's Cleaver
A sighting in the beta client is a fact from our own database; the launch roster is Blizzard’s to finalize. World of Warcraft: Forever launches November 4, 2026. World of Warcraft: Forever is Classic+, launching November 4
First-party render from the game files. Model © Blizzard Entertainment.
TheWoWDB
