Well,
If you are attacking.
then activate all skills before attacking (so far there are 3)
Strength (increases damage)
Dexterity (gives you a chance to dodge and counterattack)
Perception (gives a chance to dodge and deal critical damage).
Weapons also give an attack bonus.
Remember that skills last 1-3 rounds.
If you are attacked:
Sorry, sire, but at the first levels the chances of winning
are minimal.
Imagine you are a strong but unprepared girl, in a dark cave you encounter...
zombie,
It has no sense of fatigue, no perception of pain, no concept of kinetic energy...
and preservation of the body after recoil.
I bet you'd rather run away than attack him with a battle cry and a knife.
Also, many enemies have a simple but individual logic
combat.
( Like the old version on renpy, the game will have a hardcore bias )