Different areas have ridiculous spikes in difficulty. Things might seem to be going steadily and the next minute, you're getting one/two shot or stunlocked to death.
Anyway, the game suggests you reform your party if you're getting whupped and I guarantee you probably will if you're new to this game and around that level.
Some things I can advise you to do is check what kind of pawns you have in your party. I play mostly Mystic Knight, Fighter, or Warrior vocations so I'm usually keeping the attention of any monster out there.
My main pawn started off as my true support pawn, having her as Medicant & Guardian/Utilitarian really helps out in this role. My main pawn would heal all party members and their status ailments and use elemental buffs (mostly fire & holy). I got lucky and found another pawn who was this same role so I changed my main pawn to sorcerer and now she blows everything up. I changed her from Medicant/Utilitarian to Scather/Guardian so she attacks the strongest foes with her best magic and enemies who are beating up on me. Works very well!
My last pawn was a warrior and he helped smash things to bits, nothing really to explain here and some might want to change who they bring in to fit their play style.
Since you're a strider, try having a Fighter in your party or a Warrior who has proper damage reduction augments and War Cry to grab attention from the monsters you face. I always have a healer/support type pawn so I can keep everyone alive and healthy and the last pawn is up to you. Like I said, I switched my main pawn to a sorcerer vocation so she can blow things up and she does.
Hope that helps for party make up. Make sure you grab all the notice board missions in Cassardis and the Encampment before getting to far ahead of the story too, the rewards and XP are amazing.
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