The leveling of ground is quite frustrating, I've gotten so I don't even bother. I just build wood or stone floors and leave it.

For the base, really it will all be super frustrating until you dig a moat around it. Make it deeper than your character and too wide to jump. A log stretched across allows access that monsters can't do. then you are safe and can stand up and shoot arrows at them as they wander helplessly around in your moat.

My bases always have an indoor part and an outdoor part behind the walls. The outdoor part for the things that smoke like the smelter.

The game gets a lot easier when you can block successfully. By the time you get bronze armor you should be able to kill a troll without taking any damage by blocking his attacks with a shield or kiting him around and hitting with a bow and arrow. Same with the skeletons in the dungeons,

A couple of things to make it a bit easier - I use 2 stamina and 1 health food. The stamina is more important if you can block. Make sure to plant the onions and carrots. The food you get from them is a great benefit. you will want hundreds!

Explore! the game is all about exploration and with Eikthyr power you can run away from most any difficulty or if it gets dark when you are far from home. Record discoveries on the map - bees, tin, copper, etc.