Chainsaw weapon group?

[Zaister]

What weapon group for fighter weapon training would a chainsaw belong to?

[Garrett Guillotte]

I don't think it has an official RAW fighter weapon group. GMs can add other weapons to fighter weapon groups and create new groups, so I'd personally rule it a heavy blade and in a new powered melee group (along with laser torches, stun batons, plasma swords, etc.).

[Zaister]

That sounds reasonable.

[James Jacobs]

Good point! Totally forgot to include this info for the tech guide... here's what I would have included had I remembered:

Energy Pistols: Covers all the beam weapons with the word "pistol" in its name, plus the stun gun.

Energy Rifles: Covers all the beam weapons with the word "rifle in its name.

Tech Projectile: Dart gun, flare gun, autograpnel, rail gun

Laser Torch: add to "Close" group

Stun Baton: add to "Hammers" group

Monowhip: add to "Flails" group

Null Blade: add to "Heavy Blades" group

Chainsaw: This lives in its own group. Call it "Powered Melee" if you like, but it's a bad-ass weapon that is in a class of its own.

Death rays, id rifles, mindrenders, and all the heavy weaponry (with the exception of the rail gun) don't count as weapons for fighters in this way as weapons and cannot benefit from this fighter ability.

[Zaister]

Thank you, James.

[Sean_Powell]

In my campaign I ruled the chainsaw as both an exotic AND an improvised weapon. While a chainsaw is a deadly device it's just not well balanced or comfortable for fighting. You can't switch your grip like you would on an axe without releasing the trigger. It's designed for a left hand high and perpendicular grip which is awkward for right handed fighter. The 'hilt' is a kickback guard that shuts the blade off. Some of these can be kludged around but that makes it more improvised, not less.

Also I have a fighter who specializes in improvised weapons who normally wouldn't use it because of the noise, energy consumption etc but by making it improvised she won't suffer nearly as much giving up weapon focus and weapon specialization to use it.

YMMV