Some ideas if you don't want to get caught with your pants down while exploring:
1) Use a low camera angle to look ahead
2) In new areas, put your party in sneak mode
3) use familiars to scout ahead. You can decouple them from their master. Yes, they will probably die. But that what they're for.
4) don't rush in to combat, but let the enemy come to you. Attack them from a distance while they waste their actions on movement.
5) together with the point above: keeping a small formation can help your party members help each other. Thrown potions and haste spores can effect multiple characters that way.