I find combat to be easiest as the warrior class in the non-story mode. This is your simplest "hit things with a stick" type of character/combat. As before mentioned, I recommend investing perk points in perception when available. Aside that, I like to get the uppercut skill as soon as possible. More often than not, the key to surviving enemies is blocking; I find it useful to be able to swap directly into an aggressive stance and press the advantage for attack.
Also as mentioned, I like to focus on achievements. More achievements mean more bonus points when making a new character, which in turn means you successfully* can get further on the map and take down more advanced enemies.
It should also be noted that there isn't really a "one size fits all" build. Most enemies are at least partially weak to physical attacks. But almost all of them require a different approach, some even needing a different form of damage to cause any effect. (I.e. some enemies are immune to physical damage)
*Depending on your definition of success, or alternatively, "taking down"