There are certainly some play styles that are less risk averse. I found wizards to be difficult to play early on, sorcerers less so, but still swishy without the right multiclass.
A fighter or barbarian makes fights much easier. It’s not that you don’t have a good front line, but shadow does no damage, astarion can’t really do his thing as a rogue yet, and gale is just weak early on. Can’t say much about paladins, but kitted out right should get you somewhere.
Personally, I’d swap gale out for someone like laezel. Or get a hirling and spec them out.
Fun fact, you can change the difficulty to balanced, make your multiclass, and then change back to explorer if you want. It’ll keep.
If you can get ahold of a maverick hybrid at msrp, there’s that. But it’s limited to 2,000 lbs. the ecoboost with towing can do 4,000 but then you’re right back in the same spot as the Hyundai minus the theft issue lol.