Help with Jade Phoenix Mage Gish

[Snake Eater]

My group will be starting a new campaign, and I'm finding myself in a bit of a bind. I'm trying to go for a gish that uses fire with her unarmed strikes, and I have two builds in mind. I'll either be going Wu Jen 5, Swordsage 1, JPM 10, Abjurant Champion 4; or Bard 5, Swordsage 5, JPM 10. My DM has already approved of this unarmed swordsage variant: improved unarmed strike, monk unarmed strike progression, unarmored movement, unarmored defense, and flurry of blows; in exchange, I lose my armor proficiency, and replace my swordsage weapon proficiency with monk weapon proficiency. If I go the Bard route, I'll be a silverbrow human with dragonfire inspiration and lore song. If I go with Wu Jen, I'll probably go with standard human. Wu Jen is enticing because I'll have 9th level spells (which means I'll have the Transcend Mortality+Emerald Immolation combo-which sounds hilarious). Also, is it worth burning feats on Superior Unarmed Strike and/or Improved Natural Attack? Actually, outside of the obvious feats (like weapon finesse), which ones should I invest in (is Snap Kick worth it, for example)?
Every source (including Pathfinder) and build is allowed as long as it doesn't give the DM a headache.
We'll be starting at level 4, and my ability Scores are as follows: Str: 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16

[NineInchNall]

Your proposed Wu Jen build (Wu Jen 5/Swordsage 1/JPM 10/AC 4) gets CL 17 at level 20. You're starting at fourth level, and there's no guarantee that you'll ever make it to level 20 for your theoretical transcend mortality combo. Even if you do make it, you have to deal with having a subpar spell list during all the levels before that. That's 16/17 (94%) of your character's career. Instead, you should give up the dream of playing around with something that can only be done once/week at level 20. Be a Wizard using the Fighter bonus feat variant and just straight up have more enjoyment throughout 94% of the campaign. As a Wizard, you'll also have access to heroics, which can give you access to any maneuver for which you qualify.

Have you considered prioritizing Strength rather than Dex? I'm currently playing a Wizard pseudo-monk myself, flavoring all my spells (with a little help from Invisible Spell) as ki effects. You'd be surprised just how far a good fist of stone can get you if you're already Strength based. Also, at low levels your HP will be significantly lacking without liberal use of false life, so it may be wise to focus more on using a reach weapon rather than your fists early on. My "monk" has been doing this to great effect so far.

As for Swordsage ... Meh, I'd say go with Warblade instead. No, really, even for a Desert Wind focus. All Swordsage is doing is giving you a poor recovery mechanic and making you more MAD in return for a few Desert Wind maneuvers. If you go with Warblade, you end up with a higher BAB and a better recovery mechanic. Pick up a novice Desert Wind cloak, and you qualify for all available Desert Wind maneuvers by the time you hit JPM at initiator level 4. You're even feat-positive compared to the Swordsage, which usually necessitates taking Adaptive Style to offset its poor recovery method. Going with Warblade also allows you to more easily get iron heart surge and white raven tactics.

So ultimately my suggestion would be this:

Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 12


Level
Class
Feat(s)
Maneuver(s)/Stance
BAB
IL
Spells of Note


1
Wizard 1
Combat Reflexes, Stand Still, Combat Casting

+0
0.5
mage armor, fist of stone, master's touch (from Spell Compendium)


2
Wizard 2


+1
1.0



3
Wizard 3
???

+1
1.5
heroics, false life


4
Wizard 4


+2
2.0
wraithstrike


5
Warblade 1

punishing stance, [some diamond mind maneuver], emerald razor, mountain hammer
+3
3.0



6
Wizard 5
Improved Unarmed Strike

+3
3.5
greater mighty wallop



The level 3 feat is open here so as to qualify for something that requires +1 BAB. Alternatively, you could push one of the earlier feat selections back and take a first-level-only feat, such as Collegiate Wizard. Other options include cheap metamagic; e.g., Invisible Spell or Extend Spell. I'm not even sure it is necessary to take Improved Unarmed Strike, to be honest, given all the spells that grant quasi-unarmed strikes; e.g., fist of stone or heroics.