10 deaths isn't much in the big scheme of things.

Only you get shields, things will get considerably easier for you. If I recall correctly, that's only two more levels.

Permagrouping isn't necessary at all, and anyone who tells you it is is talking out of their arse.

Grouping, on the other hand, is pretty necessary. Invokers shouldn't find it too hard to get a group because they deal very nice damage.

Don't worry to much about mob deaths. Perhaps ask yourself why you died so many times. Are you ranking in an area with aggro mobs and repeatedly running into problems? Then don't rank there -- find somewhere else. Is your groupmate wimpying and you getting beaten down? Then tell him to warn you, or be ready to flee yourself, or don't travel with him. Are you teleporting into mobs when fleeing pk? Well, if you are close to a new level, you might want to suck up the pk death and keep your exp.