I have a new-ish favorite that I enjoy just as much as HECj.
Tengu Monks, preferably of Yredumul,
my favorite is with Lungou but I hardly ever get to, and occasionally I go with Okawaru or even Xom seldomly (if I get a Xom altar early as well as useful loot, like a Ring of Regeneration).
Tengu are pretty frail for a melee class, yes, but I like their aptitudes and I
really like their flight ability and their claws. Everything about them is just cozy, aside from their frailness; as long as I'm cautious when fighting beefy foes in melee like Hill Giants, I'm usually okay.
My favorite TeMo games have been the ones where I get good Javelins or Slings and can three-shot Hill Giants or Hydras from across the screen with them.
I had one where I had a +4+7 Great Mace of Protection and I one-shotted
over one-hundred Orcs in the Mines one after another, which was WILD for me; I now know why people are so drawn to Minotaurs or Trolls. That character died in the Abyss though when a Lich popped out of nowhere and summoned a Brimstone Fiend and a Blizzard Demon on either side of me; couldn't outlast 'em while I was waiting for Teleport to kick in.
I honestly prefer one-handed weapons and shields as opposed to two-handed weapons; the thought of having nothing between me and attacks is scary, which is why I like Yredumul more than Okawaru when I play this build, hiding behind zombies or fighting alongside them.
There are still things I'm getting used to though. Having +1 in every weapon aptitude ever makes it daunting to pick just one. Do I go Staves and try for a Latajang later? Or go with this excellent randart Dire Flail and train up M&F? Or settle for this War Axe of Pain and this good shield for the whole game without switching to a bigger, two-handed axe? Ahhh why can't I have a whole harem of weapons to love!?
Anyway it's good stuff. ^^ That and as a Tengu with +3 Air Magic, I can sometimes get Mephitic Cloud, Repel Missiles, Swiftness and possibly Airstrike for spell support along with my melee fighting, which is nice.