LogFAQs > #963129405

Agreed. Leveling up health to at least 20 is totally viable. You probably shouldn't do more than 40, though.

If you're going melee, the largest increases to your damage will come from upgrading your weapon, not stat scaling. You want enough str/dex to wield whatever weapon looks interesting to you, and enough endurance to have a medium roll with said weapon equipped and shield and armor equipped.

Additionally, a ranged option, such as a cheap bow, is useful to have as backup so you can strategically lure enemies out from packs. Arrows can be crafted from simple animal bones, so killing all the deer that you see means you don't need to spend extra souls on arrows from merchants.