Diablo III is for real

[Chesspiece_face]

So, predictions on why they went with

Ooh, eee, ooh ah ah,
Ching Chang
Walla Walla bing bang
Oh, eee, ooh ah ah
Ching Chaing
Walla Walla bang bang!
(That was from memory, old sixties tune about The Witchdoctor. Google for actual lyrics if you like)

rather than the Necromancer?

Necros were a signature Diablo II class. While I played mostly zons, assassins and Paladins, I thoroughly enoyed the variety and flexibility of the Necro. For my money, once the BG/IM bug was fixed, the best balanced class in the game with a unique feel.

From the readings, it seems they are the scapegoats for all the ills that have fallen on Sanctuary since the Worldstone turned into gravel.

Occhi

Taken from IGN's reporting:

"Jay Wilson, a lead designer on Diablo III, said the witch doctor is not a replacement for Diablo II's necromancer."

This could mean there will still be necromancers in Diablo III. Or it could mean that the skill sets of the necromancer are being split up and put into multiple new class types. It's obvious that the Witch Doctor has some of the pet utility as well as the Corpse Explosion (although this time it's mobile). From what i read though Witch Doctor is more caster and less pet.