The Chainsaw is a returning weapon in Doom Eternal. It functions the same as before, ripping and tearing open enemies to spill ammo and guts. The difference is that it automatically refills 1 gallon after being fully depleted, and it holds only 3 gallons (originally up to 7 in DOOM), but its low fuel count is made up for in brutality. Fodders and the Tentacle take one hit to chainsaw, Heavies take three, whilst Super Heavies and Ambients other than the Tentacle cannot be chainsawed.
Tactical Analysis[]
The Chainsaw is much more integral to the gameplay than its predecessor in DOOM. While it is weaker compared to its predecessor, the Slayer has very limited ammunition resupply options in Doom Eternal, limited coupled with a significant decrease in the amount of ammo the player is allowed to carry even while fully upgraded (for example, the player could hold 40 shotgun shells in DOOM, but can only hold up to 24 in Doom Eternal). As such, compared to the previous game, the Chainsaw is meant to work as a full time supportive tool used in every encounter rather than situationally, primarily for the purpose of being used in fodder demons for a quick resupply. The gameplay loop has been adjusted to ensure that the player always has small fodder targets to chainsaw during battles, ensuring that the player is never out of options.
Despite forming a larger part of the overall loop, the player is also limited to up to 3 fuel pips at a time. However, to help sustain its usage, the first pip will always automatically recharge after a certain amount of time. Finally, despite their visual similarity, Chainsaw kills DO NOT count as glory kills — Meaning Chainsaw kills will not refill Blood Punch or Sentinel Hammer meters.
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