Seems like you're having a hard time with the game. I also got my ass kicked a lot when I started it, so here's some shit I wish I knew:

1. Shadow step (shadow walk?), the one that makes you invisible, allows you to steal anything that isn't nailed down so go steal some paintings.
2. You can use the Pyramids in combat.
3. Stealth is useless in the EE, don't bother with it.
4. Bombs are OP, use them.
5. Poison is flammable
6. Skills are your main weapon. I don't know if this needs to be said at all but I spent half of my first playthrough trying to do damage with just melee and that will get you nowhere.
7. On the point of skills, the touch-skills are also OP. They only take 1 AP and provide massive crowd control.