Merchants do have the option of a rushed (pre)crown... Dwarf merchant can start in the 45k+ gold range, so you can get precrown in <5000 turns if you want.
Wand merchants can have a pretty strong start if you get some damage wands or teleport... can kill Hotz or rob a shop or something. Scroll merchants with SoFS can raid the crumbling cave with a bit of luck. Other classes of course have access to these items too, though. Despite starting with Alchemy, potion merchants actually have the toughest early game.
Most of their skills and class powers are pretty weak though. Extra carrying capacity is good. Thrown coins are okay in a pinch, but rocks are better usually due to the slowness problem. In terms of skills, well, you have detect item status at least.
Hoping to win with every class, doomed. Archer, Barbarian, Bard, Beastfighter, Druid, Elementalist, Farmer, Fighter, Monk, and ULE Priest down.