Ranged armour rating is your defense against arrows. Likewise, melee and magic armour ratings are your defenses against melee and magical attacks.
Once you get your main stat(s) and vitality up a little, it wouldn't hurt to raise the other stats that give a boost to resistances a bit, but you will also get boosts from equipment and eventually enchantments. Strength gives a bonus to your melee damage/resistance (and your HP regeneration), intelligence to magic damage/resistance and dexterity to ranged damage/resistance.
Rush Attack comes in handy for enemy archers and mages, and level 1 is essential for a warrior (more if desired, and you don't have other skills you would rather boost). You just have to be careful about Rush Attacking into the middle of a group.
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