Let's look at surviving these early challenges since there's no way to adjust how tough things get. When you first start out training with Captain Bernard is absolutely crucial, he'll teach you the combat basics and timing for perfect blocks which makes a huge difference. The best approach is focusing on your fundamentals first, getting comfortable with the basic moves and master those perfect blocks since enemies telegraph their strikes pretty clearly with a brief flash before swinging. Keep in mind that staying too close during combat leaves you open but backing away about 2-3 steps gives you the sweet spot for countering, especially when they commit to those heavy attacks

For early survival your first goal should be finding a place to sleep and save, the taverns work great for this and most towns have one near the entrance. Managing your stamina is critical during fights so watch that green bar and back off when it drops below quarter - enemies get really aggressive when they sense weakness. Something interesting about potions, brewing Saviour Schnapps early on lets you save manually and Rage potions give you this massive damage boost that's perfect for tough fights just time those buffs carefully since they don't last forever

If direct combat feels overwhelming try working the stealth angle especially at night, most guards follow pretty predictable patrol routes and there's usually good cover between buildings. The combat system really rewards patience so don't feel rushed to take on every fight head-on, sometimes circling around or picking off isolated enemies with your bow works better especially early on when your skills aren't developed yet. Keep an eye out for that Hardcore Mode coming later if you're looking for an extra challenge once you've mastered the basics