There is still that insta-reincarnation that you could use to give your party meleer the physical stats of a Bugbear without the mental drawback. I forgot the name right now. Ah, that was Last Breath
, as Negative Zero said.
Now must haves, in my book:
Enhance Wildshape
Bite of the Werebear
Venomfire if you wish to use it
Owl's Insight is really only good with DMM/Persist. So if you want to get that, eventually (which requires: Turning and Divine Reach from a Hierophant dip), then by all means take it. If you don't plan on persisting it, it's not worth it, IMHO, except as a DC booster. If you plan on taking a major SoD, then perhaps it's still worthwhile.
I would also consider one of the Luminous Armours.
The best would, of course, be somehow getting an actual domain, and getting a Miracle from it. But that's OT, I guess.