[Ninjacop]

The core chainsaw in 5e gains double damage against barriers which is supposed to be because it's a chainsaw  . But because it's written in the weapon description itself it makes me wonder whether this also applies to the chainsaws in run and gun?  Since those don't specifically say they get it.

[Reaver]

Not all chain saws are created equal.

And I Have NO idea why they think a chainsaw is entitled to extra structrual damage (yes I know its in the book.... that is not a reason!)

[Adamo1618]

Underbarrel Chainsaw, page 53 in Run & Gun: "Use the Exotic Melee Weapons (Chainsaw)
skill for this; when used against a barrier, double its Damage Value."

It doesn't make sense that there would be a difference when mounting it under a weapon and when holding it. So I'd say yes, all chainsaws double the damage against barriers.

[Marcus Gideon]

There's a lot of times when you can tell that the books were written in sections by completely different people, and those people seem to have a meeting once and then never again. So at some point in time they talked about chainsaws doing double to barriers, but later someone changed their mind and never told the other folks.

Core pg 198 has a chart showing which attacks deal extra damage to barriers. Projectiles have special rules, explosives and anti-vehicle missiles do double, but that's it. No mention of chainsaws anywhere in that section.

However, both the Underbarrel chainsaw listed in Run & Gun pg 53, and the Monofilament chainsaw listed in Core pg 448 do mention double barrier damage in their descriptions.

So yeah... I would agree that someone intended for chainsaws in general to do double. Either that got nerfed, so they wrote it in special. Or it just didn't make it onto the barrier chart during any of the errata passes.

[Sendaz]

And I Have NO idea why they think a chainsaw is entitled to extra structrual damage (yes I know its in the book.... that is not a reason!)

I think the logic is that the chainsaw is chewing through the barrier, throwing out a lot of the barrier material as it goes along, not just slicing it.

[Dinendae]

And I Have NO idea why they think a chainsaw is entitled to extra structrual damage (yes I know its in the book.... that is not a reason!)

I think the logic is that the chainsaw is chewing through the barrier, throwing out a lot of the barrier material as it goes along, not just slicing it.

That makes a lot of sense, actually; they're gouging out material, and throwing it away from the barrier, at high speed.

[ScytheKnight]

Basically using the right tool for the right job.

[Beta]

Basically using the right tool for the right job.

Which is maybe why the combat chainsaw doesn't show double damage vs barriers?  It was optimized, to the degree that one can do so with a chainsaw, for combat, rendering it less good at .... actually being a chainsaw.  Just like if you take a pitch-fork and straighten out the tines to make it a somewhat better weapon, you can still use it as a pitchfork, but it won't work as well.

[Jack_Spade]

About the feasibility:
There are already diamond tipped chain saws today

[Whiskeyjack]

There's a lot of times when you can tell that the books were written in sections by completely different people, and those people seem to have a meeting once and then never again.

So Exalted 2e design logic, then?