Originally posted by Garble Master:

I don't know if this is a problem new to H&H cause I didn't play the game before then.

Anyway, it feels like when trying to block stuff in the tier you're in you might be able to block a hit from a lesser mob but any of the stronger enemies, bosses, or anything from a tier above, they break your guard and you take damage, I don't know if it's more damage than normal or not but it does leave you exposed for more damage should there be a follow-up attack.
It certainly has gotten me into the mindset of "parry or nothing."

I've been eating two health foods and a stamina, sometimes two health and a balanced food but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

And when you get better gear and the blocking actually feels like it does something, by then it doesn't matter cause you've got gear from the tier above and you'll wipe the floor with pretty much anything from tiers below you.

It's frustrating when I'm taking on a challenging enemy and block with the hopes it'll at least block some of the damage but instead I die cause it broke my guard and I take full or more.
Or even worse, it doesn't kill me and I now have to try to run away or run in a circle around it trying to regen health and/or stamina cause my mead is on cooldown.

And this doesn't seem to be a stamina issue, I keep my distance unless I've got stamina for at least a couple attacks.
Parrying feels fine, rewarded for a well timed block, sure.
Should probably just switch to bow as my primary weapon but I'm stubborn and want to use melee.
It's not really preventing me from progressing, it's just super frustrating and keeps pushing me away from a playstyle I'd like to do and it seems to be pretty consistent as I play through.

Idk, if that's how you want it then don't change anything, you nailed it.

It depends. Smaller shields aren't worth straight blocking with for the most part, which is why they can parry. Tower shields are the only blocking shields really worth using.
Shield material tier makes a difference as well. Your first wooden shield is trash, you want it upgraded as soon as possible to the next tier.
Chip damage is something to be worried about, sure, but overall stop trying to block a 20 foot trolls 500 pound club with your weak and flabby human arms and a wooden shield thats 2 inches thick. Your just asking for a bad time.