It's not the best block in the world, but it's certainly usable -- the lack of a pre-racial 15+ suggests that a primary caster might not be the best idea in the world, but part of me wants to break the chains of supposed Stat Dependance and make Wizard work. I've got a single +2, growth potential into a second, and at the current time a lone penalty stat.. If I used race selection for stats, I could have as many as three "competent" spheres which would create a good and well-rounded fighter

The stats came out 14, 9, 12, 13, 12, 10. I'm not really tempted to use the in-order setup at all.

So, If I were going to build a Wizard (again, leaning towards it) I'd probably want Sun Elf with stat arrangement (post Racial) of 9, 12, 12, 15, 10, 12, maintaining +1 Con. I could also give the finger to getting 9th level spells on time without shenanigans and play a human (10, 12, 12, 14, 9, 13). The LA+1 Races also provide some options -- Fire Genasi or Tiefling would grant +int. Tiefling in particular is very tempting

But, you know, what if I don't want to rely on the whims of caltrops to remain alive, and be at the mercy of int-as-godstat? Well, the way I figure it, I've got a few options there.

I figure I can start by ruling out Paladin and Monk. While I've got a half-decent all-rounder block, those two are so stat hungry that I don't really want to deal with it, and frankly I'm leaning towards a more flexible sort of character anyway.

That still leaves a LOT of options: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter, Ranger, and Rogue, of which I'd take serious consideration for Barbarian, Fighter, and Ranger.

Fighter has a problem -- just one small flaw that keeps me from jumping aboard and that's armor. This is a nautical campaign. At some point in any nautical campaign, you are going in the drink, and if you're a fighter you'd best be prepared to swim in your full plate (somehow) or drown in your full plate: it alone applies a lovely -10 to your swim checks... which, I suppose, is not THAT much. With a good strength and full ranks, a 9th level character has a +15, enough that you can keep your head above water in Rough Water... with just the Plate. Add a Large Steel Shield (-3), Longsword (-1) and Handy Haversack (-1) containing your miscellaneous gear, and even calm water might be trying. Mithral will shave 5 points off the swim check loss, enough to at least you flail for rescue, but comes at the nasty price of 9kgp for Heavy Armor. I could, of course, go with a more lightly armored fighter -- say, aiming for the Peerless Archer PrC. But at that point Ranger or Barb might be a better base class, though a little light on those glorious feats.

My last option, of course, is to multiclass: Use a little spellcraft from Sor/Wiz to enhance fighting ability -- probably only going for up to 2nd level spells: the buffs, True Strike... possibly 3rd level to get Fly and Haste. This comes at the cost of a) not fully advancing Caster Level and Therefore Duration and b) not getting the kind of feats and BAB the fighter side wants. This isn't Ftr 2/Barb X, this is trying to work together two sides that really don't want to mix. If I went this route, Wizard/Rogue would seem best for Arcane Trickster or Wizard-dip-fighter for Spellsword. Arcane Trickster is probably better, but Spellsword is the cooler concept and handily answers both my issue with Wizard (I won't get L9 anyway, no worries about getting that 19 int) and Fighter (Wants lighter armor for lower spell fail).

So, ideas for who each of the possible characters could be are crystalizing as I'm trying to decide

Tiefling Wizard
Vital Stats: Gets 9th level spells at ECL 18 (Equivalent to a Sorcerer), has 4th level spells right now. 8d4+16hp (average 36)
Pros: Best casting
Cons: Bad hit dice (but stat points available for Con mean better prospects)
Character: While I tend to think of Tieflings as metropolitan characters, that's mostly my Planescape background -- in the realms they're most commonly found in Unther, Mulhorand, and Thay and in any case woudl be quite different people than tieflings from Sigil. Wizards are, surprise surprise, also popular in all three locales. In any of those cases I would be very, VERY far from home. I'm thinking Thay, though. As a wizard hailing from that region he would be or perhaps more have accurately would have been a member of the order, but as a tiefling he couldn't take the PrC and his raw distance from Thay suggests having broken ties, likely due to being on the metaphorical chopping block as apprentices went. I get that this is someone who is prickly and determined. As a wizard from Thay he has his pride, but as a tiefling among the Red Wizards he's got a huge chip on his shoulder and a deep-seated need to be defensive
Probable Build Information: Specialist in highly aggressive magic -- Evocation or Transmutation (Barring Conjuration). Tattoo Focus, and basically all the prerequs for the Red Wizard PrC I won't be taking, since that's where his background is. Not likely to be an item creator/utility type.

Human Arcane Trickster
Vital Stats: Gets 9th level spells at Level 20, has 3rd level spells right now (Full progression but 3 behind) 6d4+3d6+9hp (average 36)
Pros: Solid casting. Sneak Attack with rays. Impromptu Sneak Attack.
Cons: Terrible HP progression (d4s and +1 con). Massive kludge of skills and skill points supported by a modest Int only
Character: Feels like someone with an urban background, say from Waterdeep or Silverymoon. Plays more like a mage but thinks more like a thief: open in person, but somewhat paranoid when it comes to business, like the crazy survivalist who invites you into their rec room/fallout shelter for tea but warns you that if you try to come over when it's armageddon time, they'll shoot you. Absolutely chaotic and possibly on the wrong side of the law somewhere in the past. Thinks spellcraft is perfectly acceptable for pranks.
Probable Build Information: Absolutely a generalist. Keeps a broad toolbox of combat and noncombat spells while eschewing the big AoE stuff in favor of precision instruments. Feats focused on improving magic-assisted combat like Weapon Focus (Ray)

Human Spellsword
Vital Stats: Gets 6th level spells at level 19 and has 3rd level spells right now (Partial progression). 4d4+3d8+2d10+9hp (average 43)
Pros: Best hp with solid growth. Pre-existing access to buffs to support fighterly combat. Gets a second attack. Armor & good weapons are great in the long haul
Cons: Worst casting. Channel Spell is forever 1/day and wasted on a miss. As gear-hungry as a fighter and a mage stapled together
Character: She (as I think of this one) would absolutely be from the North, particularly the Silver Marches or Sword Coast North considering that despite me getting rough-and-tumble vibes, practicing Wizardry (as opposed to Sorcery) indicates a study, not simply raw talent. Serious verging on dour. Self-reliant but not a loner: trusts other people to do their best and be honest more often than not, but believes in being able to pull her own weight. As such, I'm going to have heck with the skills -- though I suppose with three classes with different lists that was going to happen anyway.
Probable Build Information: Transmuter (Barring Conjuration). It seems to me that the best spells to channel are weakening effects: you're doing consistent damage with your weapon and most low level damage spells aren't great (though pumping three magic missiles into a sword strike is great for a damage spike), but striking with a charged Hold Person, Ghoul Touch, or Tasha's Hideous Laughter seems great. Some evocations are also good alternatives to a bow. Fighter Feats and Item Creation feats are musts here.

Thunderlance (FRCS)... how did I not know about this spell already? It's one of the best (arguably) melee wizardry tricks I've seen. 20' reach and if you're not focusing on strength probably one higher than yours even for partial casters accessing it late.

Another strike against the Arcane Trickster is that skill list. Taking Cosmopolitan twice at first level could help maintain progression, but wouldn't solve it.

I think Necromancer or Enchanter might be a smarter specialty for a Spellsword than Transmuter. I remembered that there are a lot of kickass transmutations, but they essentially start with Polymorph at 4th level, which is already too high level to channel. I suppose slow is nice, but there are more options in Enchantment and Necromancy. At the very least, those schools need to not be prohibited. I could even go generalist, though, since I've got a better fallback for having one fewer spell per level per day.

Small shields and spellcasting would seem to interact oddly -- you need a hand free to cast spells with somatic components. While using a small shield you can hold items... but not wield weapons, so it seems ambiguous if your hand is "free" or not. I guess Bucklers are the same base +AC and even less restrictive if Small shields are a no go for somatic components.