Editing Katana (section)

==Tactics==
In terms of damage output, the katana deals approximately a third more damage over time than the axe in primary fire and the same damage in alternate fire, despite its higher rate of fire. Compared to the [[chainsaw]], the katana has up to 40% less damage potential over time, but is five blocks of weight lighter, has a 10% larger headshot multiplier, and allows the player to run faster whilst wielding it.
While Chainsaw is much more effective trash clearer at lower difficulties, this effect vains away as Berserker gains moderate movement speed as they level up, which can't be utilized with Chainsaw. Overall, Katana stoods as a reliable side arm for trash clearing with lower dps output for all kinds of [[Berserker]] players. However, Katana loses effectiveness as an off-perk weapon to deal with trash as [[Field Medic]] at high difficulties due 5% movement speed negate and increased damage of crowded specimen but it retains its status as a reliable tool for [[Support Specialist]]s and [[Commando]]s to perform flinch and dispatch kills on [[Scrake]]s.

When playing on lower difficulties (Hard and below), a berserker wielding the Katana can repeatedly mini flinch a [[Scrake]] (150+ damage in one shot, attack interrupted but able to move, very short duration) and prevent it from retaliating by continuously attacking with primary attack. Headshots are needed for a level 0 Berserker to deal with Scrake properly in order to reach the ~150 damage threshold for flinching. Unfortunately, this tactic is not feasible on the higher difficulty levels (Suicidal and HoE) as each Scrake gains an inner cooldown for flinch states inflicted from melee weapons on these difficulties.

At times of desperation, Katana can be used to kill a Scrake at high player Suicidal or Hell on Earth difficulty games but it takes a level 5+ Berserker to perform safely and knowing when Scrake gonna enrage. By pre-damaging its head with 2-4 alt fire swings, Scrake can be enraged controllably but can be halted by interchanging between primary and alternative attacks to its head to slash away at its face. The damage you may suffer diminishes greatly if pulled right but risk of this combo grows greater at lower levels due slower attack speed and inability to heavy flinch (450+ damage in one shot, attack interrupted but able to move, short duration).
However, a mid-high level berserker (level 4+) can still stun a Scrake (unable to move or attack, moderate duration) on any difficulty level by attacking with the Katana's alt-fire from behind doubling the damage; dealing over 667 damage done in a single attack. Team cooperation would be needed in that case.

Katana is fast and reliable to clear trash specimen while dealing with a bigger specimen. While kiting a [[Fleshpound]] as Berserker, switching to Katana and moving around to juke smaller specimen will give you quicker results to get back to Fleshpound to keep whittling at him. When kiting Fleshpound away, instead of dealing chip damage for one alternative fire attack per step in, you can attack its head twice with primary attack without enraging Fleshpound considering he's not incurring any other damage output and whiffs or loses eye sight with squad once in 11-15 seconds as intended.
Katana also will not enrage Fleshpound lit on fire on first primary hit on body, successfully able to take its aggro without enraging it; considering you didn't perform a follow up melee slash or any other teammate shooting at it. Same situation apply when Fleshpound turned its back, a primary attack at its body won't enrage Fleshpound right away without any outer effects.
An intentional headshot from Katana when it's lit on fire or back turned will enrage him most likely. In addition, as a level 3+ Berserker slashing Fleshpound from the back or when it's lit on fire with alternative swing of Katana will enrage it right away. At these situations it's better to switch to knife just to poke Fleshpound to take its aggression usually.