Introduction: Hello folks! It's your favorite(?) Mabari Fanatic random BSNer here!
I've dedicated myself to playing the Katari for awhile, because his dialogue amuses me and I want to like him, but there are a few problems I've encountered while playing him, and I want to share the workarounds that I've found with other people, share my build and strategy, and try to give our favorite Qunari a better image...
...But I'm not good at telling stories, so let's get to it!
Common Problems: I've noticed a few common problems people have with the Katari.
1) He is Squishy! - This is because, unlike his fellow warriors, The Katari seemingly lacks a reliable way to gain the class type's signature guard. The Legionnaire and Templar have Shield Wall, while the former also has an AoE taunt that provides guard, Walking Fortress, To the Death, Unbowed, and a large amount of base health and defense. Meanwhile the Reaver is able to heal herself, and gains massive damage increases with certain abilities while injured.
The Katari lacks a solid AoE guard provider, notable bonuses to damage while injured, a way to heal himself, and most importantly: an active way to defend himself against ranged units.
1) The Solution! - Charge has a short cooldown time at eight seconds, but it can be blocked by a standard infantry unit with a sword. A sword! A small, one handed weapon that shouldn't be able to flat out stop the horned behemoth! more importantly he has something that lets him get guard and keep melee units at bay: an upgraded Block and Slash. I have seen no other Katari utilizing Block and Slash which, when upgraded provides guard upon blocking. While not a able to block ranged attacks, an upgraded Block and Slash has it's advantages: It can hit multiple enemies in one swing, and even outright kill small clusters with a good weapon. It can stun shield users and Red Templar Knights' melee strikes, and also prevent damage from a Red Templar Behemoth's slamming moves (and do a good amount of damage to boot). He also has To the Death and churns out more damage than the Legionnaire. Making use of the move on a high health target and swinging can keep him in the fight longer than people expect, and can even help take down the Boss Commander in a matter of moments! (See faction strategies below for more on this).
2) His moves are block-able! - This displeases me. Charge and Whirlwind can both be deflected by standard infantry. The tower shield units I can understand, but how can a common footsoldier with a small sword stop a raging Qunari with a two hander?
2) The Solution! - I'm not ashamed to admit that I do not have one, only that you have to watch enemies more closely and go after foes who can't block (see faction strategies later.). You can also Sprint-Cancel his standard melee attacks in order to double your damage output with that. To do this just tap your sprint after hitting your opponent to instantly reset back to your standard idle, ready to swing again...I do not know if this is possible for our console brethren, but I'm sure it is! 
Skill Examination: I'll take a moment to evaluate some of his active skills, though I'm sure it's obvious that I have some preferences. The Katari has two Skill Trees: Onslaught and Tactics. One focuses on doing raw damage, the other focuses on...well...tactical advantages and skills not entirely about hitting your enemies.
Skill Examination - Onslaught:
Charging Bull:This ability always has a point inserted into it. With a quick cooldown time and the ability to generate guard, this move makes a great opener into the fray, serves as an evasive move, and even as an enhanced sprint button. Upgraded, it allows the ability used after to not cost stamina. As an unintended bonus, triggering and waiting for Charging Bull to reach full motion and then pressing sprint while holding forward will cancel the move, cause you to regenerate stamina, but still move at charging speed...you cannot turn while doing this, but it's a useful feature nonetheless.
Mighty Blow: This move swings down to knock over an opponent, doing extra damage to frozen or already downed opponents. Upgrading this increases the bonus to downed opponents and the move itself costs less stamina. It's a great move while teaming with ice mages or following up after a charge, but it only strikes a single opponent. It is one of his few offensive abilities that cannot be outright blocked.
Pommel Strike: A fast move that does damage and stuns an opponent. Upgrading it reduces the cooldown and increases the move's stun duration. A good move for temporarily locking down a tough opponent, assuming they can be affected by stun.
Whirlwind: A move people love, myself included. You spin in a circle, doing damage to multiple targets and capable of slowly pursuing opponents. Upgrading this move causes it to do more damage with each rotation. This move also detonates certain status, and is a useful follow up to a good charge...however, it can be blocked by standard infantry, which can leave you in a bad situation.
Earthshaking Strike: Generic yet aptly named, this move strikes the ground to cause damage to enemies in a line in front of you, battering them. Upgrading it creates a trail of fire that burns enemies that step into it. Useful for clusters of enemies or in tight places, this move requires some timing to use effectively.
Skill Examination - Tactics:
Block and Slash: It's probably obvious at this point that I love this move. You enter a defensive state that lets you block melee moves in front of you, dealing increased damage to enemies in front of you and knocking them down. Upgrading the move makes it hit harder and give you guard. This move is great for keeping enemies in check, but is not without it's own problems. First off you cannot turn while blocking, meaning you'll have to stop and press the move again while also pressing your movement keys to shift into the direction you want to block in. This can be draining on your stamina, and can also lead to enemies triggering the block at the edge of your block radius, causing you to swing and hit nothing. The recovery time of the move is not as great as you'd like as well, which can leave you vulnerable to ranged attacks...there are also some attacks that you think you should be able to block but cannot, namely a Pride Demon's whip strike.
Grappling Chain: You throw a hook out and, if it hits an enemy, you pull the chain to try and pull them towards you. Upgrading the move lets you follow the pull with a satisfying kick. This move has some notable off host problems, but can be useful for pulling certain target units away from softer teammates...most likely enemies that flank while you're in the middle of things.
Combat Roll: This move has a two second cooldown and has you roll quickly to avoid damage. Upgrading it lets you roll out of various debilitating conditions (exactly which I cannot say). This move is useful for dodging attacks quickly and reliably, unlike Charging Bull which is useful more for entering a battle, grabbing some extra guard, or luring enemies away.
To the Death: This move has you taunt an opponent, causing them to do more damage, but also having more damage done to them...the effect continues to increase (the limit, if any, I do not know) until you move a short distance away. Upgrading it allows you to gain guard when they are hit by yourself or your team. This move has the benefit of not actually taunting your target, which means that having a dedicated tank to distract them leaves you able to hit them and also gain guard if you upgrade the move. Even without a dedicated tank, doing enough damage to them can keep your guard up and full, especially if you are fighting a melee unit and using Block and Slash.
Challenge: A single target taunt that provides you with 10% of your guard. Upgrading it increases your stamina regeneration rate. Useful for grabbing the attention of a notable enemy, or an enemy harassing a softer teammate.
War Horn: BWOOOAM! This horn causes enemies around you to panic (unless they are immune to the effect), and can also destroy an enemy's guard if you upgrade it. While the Katari has no passives that directly benefit from panicked enemies, having the ability to do so can keep a group of enemies from attacking for awhile or provide a Reaver teammate with extra panicked enemies, and the upgrade can remove the armor from tough enemies.
Faction Information:
With skill information out of the way, I'll move to writing up information regarding the Katari's fighting ability against certain factions. At the time of original postage, I will be ignoring animals. Just know that they are there, some of them are big, and ponder how a Giant fits down there!
Faction Information - Red Templar:
A Katari's easiest opponent is likely the Red Templars. With a large amount of melee units, and enemies that can be panicked, A skilled Katari can keep enemies scattered and distracted with War Horn or Charging Bull, while blocking attacks with Block and Slash. The ability for standard infantry to block moves like Whirlwind and Charging Bull is a problem, but standard attacks, especially when Sprint-Cancelled, do a good job at doing damage. Block and Slash can interrupt a Red Templar Knight's punches, but it is only best to do this when archers are not around.
Using To the Death, The Red Templar Commander is an easy opponent to face. Doing large chunks of damage and being able to stay close by, even while he's using his superior Whirlwind, You can interrupt certain moves while he has armor, and with the guard upgrade you can keep yourself stocked up on defense.
NOTE: Block And Slash cannot deflect the following melee strikes: Red Templar Shadow's lunging spin-to-stealth.
Faction Information - Venatori:
One can argue that the Venatori are a Katari's greatest enemy, if only due to the amount of ranged units: archers, spellbinders, and mages can ruin the qunari's day very quickly. However, many of their units can be panicked, making War Horn a good choice. Near all of their units can be knocked over, putting more stock in the usage of Charging Bull and Mighty Blow. Their stealth units have no unblockable moves, making Block and Slash more useful against them than their Red Templar counterparts.
Fighting the Venatori Commander is like fighting the Red Templar Commander. If you can block their warp you can consistently strike them while To the Death is on, without worrying about being knocked down repeatedly by whirlwind strikes. However, fire burns through guard very quickly, so take extra care!
NOTE: You can block the Venatori Brute's melee strikes, but he will not be interrupted like the Red Templar Knight. You might take more damage than your guard can handle!
Faction Information - Demons:
Demons are a mixed bag. On the one hand their standard units cannot block moves like Charging Bull and Whirlwind, but most feature auxillary abilities and de-buffs such as knock down, chill, burning, and panic. They also tend to have many spirits slinging elemental orbs, causing various effects. The spirits are thankfully fragile, and Despair Demons (AKA the ice ones) are as susceptible to knock down and panic as shades and Rage Demons are, making Mighty Blow, Charging Bull and War Horn useful moves to have. Block and Slash can block the claw swipes of Fear Demons, and the rarely used fist strikes of Pride Demons.
As I'm sure many of you are aware, the biggest problem with Demons comes from fighting the lanky and pale rear end that is the Demon Commander. The boss' tendency to warp makes To the Death less effective compared to other bosses, and the recovery speed of Block and Slash makes trying to fight the boss toe-to-toe a risky endeavor. However, Challenge is useful for forcing the boss' attention on you, as you can use Charging Bull to lure the demon away and to dodge its burrowing strike. By doing this you can allow your ranged teammates to attack them in relative peace.
NOTE: You cannot use Block and Slash against a Pride Demon's whip attack, the Terror Demon and Demon Commander's burrowing strikes, or a Fear Demon's two claw lunge-swipe.
Other Enemy Information:
-Will be filled out later, I am le tired.- 
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Seems like just a lazy way to introduce fake, RNG difficulty into the game to me.
