Basically when you play a totemist, almost everything you'll need is in Magic of Incarnum. They're a very fun class to play.
Kruthik Claws was the meld I saw most often from low-level totemists who wanted a melee build.
Looking back at my old posts, I found this low-level totemist/barbarian character that might give you some ideas:
Riley
Male Human Totemist 4/Barbarian 1
CG Medium humanoid
Init +0; Senses Spot +8, Listen +1*
Languages Common
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AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 18
hp 46 (5 HD)
Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +2
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Speed 40 ft (8 squares)
Melee 2 claws +6/+6 (1d6+2 plus 3d4 acid) or
Melee +1 longspear +7 (1d8+4/x3, reach) or
Ranged mwk lt crossbow +6 (1d8/19-20/x2, 80 ft)
Base Atk: +4; Grp: +6
Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack
Special Actions Rage 1/day (8 rounds), teleport self only up to 10 ft.
Combat Gear 4 potions of cure light wounds
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Essentia Pool 3; Capacity 1; Chakra Binds 1; Soulmelds 4
Essentia Investment
- Blink shirt 0 (teleport 10 ft. as standard action)
- Kruthik claws 3 (+10 competence bonus to Hide & Move Silently checks; 2 claws, 1d6+2+3d4 acid; bound to totem chakra)
- Wormtail belt 0 (+2 natural AC)
- Yrthrak mask 0 (+4 competence bonus to Listen checks)
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Abilities Str 14, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
SQ chakra binds (totem); fast movement, illiteracy; totem's protection; wild empathy +4 (+8 vs kruthik)
Feats Cleave, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Power Attack(b)
Skills Handle Animal +6; Intimidate +3; Knowledge (nature) +9; Spellcraft +7; Spot +9; Survival +8 (+10 outdoors)
Possessions combat gear plus +1 longspear, +1 chain shirt, +1 ring of protection, 330 gp
Totem's Protection (Ex): +4 bonus on saves against abilities of magical beasts
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When raging, Riley has the following altered statistics
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 16
hp 56 (5 HD)
Fort +11, Will +4
Melee 2 claws +8/+8 (1d6+4 plus 3d4 acid) or
Melee +1 longspear +9 (1d8+7/x3, reach)
Grp +8
Abilities Str 18, Con 20