Take it slow. If you aren't good at dodging bring a good shield. Make sure its stats are good and is a medium metal shield so it blocks 100% physical. Block their attack first, make sure you target people, read a walkthrough to make sure you are going the low level path, avoid the powerful enemies first playthough like the black knights, and make sure if you are using a regular weapon you immediately level it up to +5 as soon as you reach the first blacksmith. Grind if you have too to get the mats. On your way down to the sewers make sure you get the large ember look it up if you have too. Find a creature that drops large shards and grind them before you go too deep i think the slime guys that drop off the celing may and get a +10 weapon. If they don't grind the leeches in the poison swamp and take the shortcut elevator up and out back to the start. I'm obsessed with improving my characters and in this game its necessary to take the extra time even more so if you aren't accustomed to high difficulty games.