Spoiler free tips for character builds?

I picked up this game on Xbox Gamepass, and have just completed the brush-people village (can't remember their name). I've been learning all the Picto skills, but have not been using the stuff that increases Lumina points or upgrading weapons (though several weapon upgrades have happened automatically as I've fought). I've been grabbing every skill I can, and spreading my Attribute points evenly (took me a bit to realize that each weapon has specific stats it wants, but the idea is not new, as I've played Elden Ring).

The whole point of all of this is to say that I don't know what to do with my characters, and due to a minor spoiler having to do with Gustav >!(apparently he becomes unavailable after Act 1, though I don't have details)!<, I'm worried about wasting resources, so I'm a lot less powerful than I should be, and I don't know what skills synergize, or if there are specific weapons I want to focus on, and so on.it also doesn't help that timing has never been my strong suit, so I had to drop the difficulty down to Story just to have a chance to Parry and Dodge, and even then I still fail just as often as I succeed.

Does anyone have any non-story-spoiler advice on how to build my characters?