I feel as though half of OP's issues are a result of the current early access build, and the other half are the result of just not understanding the mechanics.
I believe that a lot of those issues will be worked out as the builds develop, and the other half are the result of a lack of time and experience with the game.
As far as the dice rolls are concerned, I'm kinda with you on that. I'm generally ok with getting less than optimal results, but I don't feel as though getting a terrible result for a specific playthrough's mindset (good or evil run) is particularly fun. Sure, not everything can go our way, but there have been some instances where I feel as though I should have been able to exert slightly more influence or a situation or set of circumstances.
