Comparatively, yes, I would say so. I have managed to get by with the thief class although I couldn't consistently beat the orc (I may have squeezed one win out after boosting strength if memory serves).
I can't speak in detail about the other classes rn, as I can only remember doing submissive, pacifist play throughs with them. But I think Majalis said he planned on rebalancing combat soon, especially fixing the way mounting currently works. Glad I could help you
I have to disagree. Ranger or thief absolutely dominate because of the high agility stat, and that translated to high balance/no unbalancing from moves. Ranger in particular is amazing because the perception stat is high enough to let you know what the enemy's next attack will be, so you can plan accordingly.
Essentially, go ranger and invest in the Faster and Harder perks, and parry/fade away/slide/vault the fuck out of everting. The perception stat let's you see when you should riposte, which if the enemy attacks while you do, their attack is countered and their bleed damage counter goes up. If you En Guarde and your agility is high enough, you outmaneuver them and they lose balance.
Ranger class for the win!
