Try watching a full run on YouTube. Always learn from your deaths.
Are you completing the ghost quest?
Always take armor and upgrade it, that will at least take you past prison.
A good strategy is to go mage, get to the wandmaker and do his quest. Then you can upgrade the wand he gives you for a guaranteed good weapon after you imbue in your staff.
Bless your ankhs. Don't fight more than one enemy at a time. If you have bad armor try not to fight at all.
By the time you get +10 staff and +6 scale or plate armor you can just win easy.
Edit: also don't blame RNG, with 0 challenges this game is 100% beatable every time. Try to get better!