I really like this game so far. Although, my character, a lvl 7 bald Orc, highly religious, who uses defensive-minded magic and switches between 2-hander and mace+shield is getting more and more in trouble while exploring. So far, I have mainly been leveling by combat skills and by training Enchanting, Speech, Alchemy and Alteration. I usually place my perks in those skills that I find hard to level, like Alteration and Speech.

So, now I am pretty advanced in those 'side-skills,' so to say, but I find that enemies become tougher too fast and that I cannot 'scale' adequately with them. I cannot level all three of my 'pools,' so I often run out of mana using my wards and shields, or die because my dps output is too low (because my stamina is also too low). Of course, this character is not a plain warrior, rogue, or mage; it's definitely not archetypical. But with the removal of the 'class system,' I thought that we would be able to build any kind of character, without being forced to focus on these archetypes.

Maybe I am just whining. But can anybody then at least give me some tips on how to play this kind of (hybrid) character?

From what I've seen, you cant spread yourself out like that. Just keep tooling away and upgrade your combat and dont spread yourself that thin.

Dont misunderstand... u can build any type of character you want, heck you could build a naked nord that does nothing but run around in circles jumping. Just dont expect to kill a dragon anytime soon.

Get a hireling and act like a Paladin in WoW, a wimpy support class.

Lol. I might just do that.

How far are you exploring? Some regions are designed to kick your ass until you're a higher level. At level 7, don't expect to be slaying trolls or sabre cats.