Yes, I know we've beaten this dead horse forever, but I came up with another idea.
Class-specific rares. Make a few of the high-end rares only usable by melees. Maybe a cloak that adds 2/2 hit/dam and -5 to a save, only usable by warrior, zerk, ranger, thief, ninja. Other classes that would benefit, but get their own buffs, cleric, dk, pally would lose out on this, but they get sanc or other stuff.
On another note, how about a 50-only guild quest that gives a bonus to the player's choice of:
Save vs spell
AC
Hit/Dam
Luck
Or whatever else.
This quest should be extremely difficult, and MUST be undertaken alone, the player would gain a heroism-like effect, +hit/dam, -AC, hit/mana/move gain, but no one could follow or group with them. Maybe if turn on quiet mode, or some sort of silence affect, so they couldn't even have someone go with them to help? It would be a quest that involved several parts, killing a mob, finding a mob, finding specific items and taking them to people, etc.
The player could only attempt the quest once.
Just a couple things that have been rolling around the ol' noggin.
I like the idea of class-specific rares. Especially for monks, since they are a bit lacking, I have seen more items geared for other class and races but not as much for monks. I am not saying some uber powerful items for each class but maybe even non-rares that some small things for them.
And I have not explored the whole land so this is just what I have seen.
Well, having traveled the lands a bit, not knowing every item, but the majority of them, I would have to say there is a pretty fair array of equipment for all classes, and a few of the classes do have equipment that is specifically geared towards them, and some are even only usable by them. Sometimes, you just gotta keep looking in the places you least expect them to be.
Spiegel06 you need to talk to Rakith, the Knight monk. Or at least look at him.
There are monk stuff around, but you need to look for it.
The same there is Zerker stuff around.
Corpsestomp, Mealees already have some buffs.
Like:
Warcry , Berserk
If you dont have these, you can use pills or herbs to get them or their conterparts:
Bless / Frenzy
Monks can also recite scrolls, that means Protection/Bless.
If you are PowerGaming, chose your religion for its effect, not RP.
Every class can now get sant, with that hateful staff.
Bottom line, you cant get all. If you wish to play a meele you need to know their power depends greatly on their equipment.
If the lands are void of rares, you need to roll a race that is less eq dependents, like a dwarf, that you know you can gimp the magic saves, and develop different strategies.
When i started playing i remember a Dwarf warrior with weapon seize that was doing quite well.
ive thought for a long time that there should be more non-neutral axe items in game.
Another instance are polearms/axes. Warriors/zerks/blms/dks/pallies are all fighting bmgs to get a high-damage weapon.
Yes... heaven forfend you having a need to kill people for their eq... 
And if you cannot get a two handed polearm, get a sword, or a sword and shield.
This is a nonrare Polearm from the game.
Weapon type is two-handed polearm.
Damage is 5d8 (average 22).
Affects dex by 1.
Affects damroll by 3.
Affects hitroll by 3.
Sure its not top, but quite decent. Compare it with the good only polearm.
And you see you are only loosing 3 Average damage and 1 hit/dam roll.
I know where that is 
Anyway - Mya has a point with that too.
Having slightly lower hitdam/damdice on weapons as an evil shouldnt really make much of a difference as evil classes are CODED to be more offensive and goods to be more defensive.
You've all made good points, but I guess I just feel that no matter what we do, in terms of eq, to buff melees, we're giving all the same advantages to c/cs. Just about every item, especially high-end rares, that benefits melees, benefits c/cs. With the introduction of some rare melee-only equipment, it levels the playing field a little.
edit: And what do you bunch feel about the quest?
I don't like the quest. I am sorry but i do not.
There already some class specific rares in Avalon. Dont know if they will aid you.
Also what ever happened to:
Inferno the Bane of Trees and Furries.
Someone one needs to make a Drow BMG and burn some cats.
Spiegel06 you need to talk to Rakith, the Knight monk. Or at least look at him.
There are monk stuff around, but you need to look for it.
The same there is Zerker stuff around.
Corpsestomp, Mealees already have some buffs.
Like:
Warcry , Berserk
If you dont have these, you can use pills or herbs to get them or their conterparts:
Bless / Frenzy
Monks can also recite scrolls, that means Protection/Bless.
If you are PowerGaming, chose your religion for its effect, not RP.
Every class can now get sant, with that hateful staff.
Bottom line, you cant get all. If you wish to play a meele you need to know their power depends greatly on their equipment.
If the lands are void of rares, you need to roll a race that is less eq dependents, like a dwarf, that you know you can gimp the magic saves, and develop different strategies.
When i started playing i remember a Dwarf warrior with weapon seize that was doing quite well.
non scroll/wand/stave classes can also get...invis, detect invis, flesh armor, armor, protection good, protection evil, bless, frenzy, pass door, stone skin, flight and enlarge to name a few. All from edibles, drugs, potions and pills...and several from many different sources.