In Fall out 3 Flamethrowers were classified under Big Guns. In Fallout New Vegas are Flamethrowers considered a Energy weapon or is it classified under explosives?

Energy weapon

yup, though it should be noted there are MANY mods out there that move them to explosives if you're looking for some balance.

When you look at any weapon in the pip boy, there is a little icon over the stat lines that show what skill it uses, and the minimum skill level needed to use it at full effectiveness.

Balance? Holy crap, if you move them from energy then energy is even worse! I did an explosives playthrough, and while keeping stocked with ammo and trying not to blow my own legs off were somewhat problematic, the weapons worked just fine. Tiered competently enough, with end game weapons more than a match for whatever I came accross.

I just started an energy weapons PC yesterday. (I know, but I was just too impatient to wait for any fixes a patch would bring) And they thoroughly svck. Thank god I got the Incinerator in the or I'd have NOTHING to use against any enemies with a DT over 0. I'm going to have to rush my way up to Vegas, pick up the uniques on the way and get to the Silver Rush as fast as I can just to make this even remotely plausible from a gameplay stand point, and consequently killing it from a role-playing stand point.

I was the most vociferous of us resisting Josh putting flame weapons in with energy. Now that I know how badly he screwed up energy, I'm glad he left them there.

-Gunny out.

Thanks Everyone. Next time I will pay closer attention to my Pip-Boy

Aw, good idea, another reason to feel bad I can't get mods. Laser/plasma should be fixed by the time the patch goes live, Explosives needs a good range attack, and while fire is energy, it just doesn't feel like a logical fit under Energy Weapons...

Why not? Laser and plasma weapons are heat based attacks.....Gauss is the one that should be moved it uses kinetics to do the damage.