Quote Originally Posted by smasher0404 View Post
Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale (Savage Species) is an incredibly potent race for a melee character, getting a massive bonus to strength, natural armor, and naturally having Large size (which is a bonus to a bunch of different combat maneuvers like tripping and grappling). Also notably, they do not get a penalty to Intelligence.

Combine that with a level of Conjuration-specialist Wizard with Abrupt Jaunt (PHBII), and a level of your favorite martial class for martial weapon proficiencies, and you have a Whale that is teleporting around and smacking people in the face. At ECL 6, you'll be primed to enter Abjurant Champion at your next level (which keeps both BAB and Spellcasting progression).
Taking that further you could be a large Primordial Giant Half-Ogre Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale tiny Muckdweller Whale 3/Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 3/Abjurant Champion 5/Shaper of Form 1/<your choice>

Then, you are a Muckdweller as strong as a whale with BAB+7 and full casting at ECL9 in a party of ECL 12, so you'll catch up rapidly.