Oh, for a minute there I thought the points were tied to the ability scores. So basically you're talking about feats, correct?

<font color="#ffccff">No what I was talking about was for your personal stats...strength, dex, wis, etc.

The CRPG's that use 3ed rules, start the character off with a base score in each (usually around 9 or so) and then give you a few points to distribute as you see fit...which usually leaves you with one or two scores in the mid teens and the rest at 12 or less. </font>

In PnP ability scores are determined via dice rolls, however, many DMs find it pretty unfair if a player gets several 18's on his roll only for the guy next to him get crappy 12's based on the luck of a dice roll, so some DMs do things CRPG style; giving players fixed scores and letting them distribute a fixed number of extra points to their liking.

No, similar to feats which you are given once per four levels, you can increase any ability score by one (i.e get one additional ability score point) every five levels.

no, its just the luck of the dice basically.

Always

I can give you what I rolled for my halfling rogue a few months back.
**Note, these include racial modifications**

STR 11
DEX 19
CON 12
INT 15
WIS 10
CHA 12

Basically, I'm an average roller. Though, I do have some ackward streaks. Rolled a critical miss then immediately after a critical hit. Broke a party member's leg that way..

Don't forget to add in your bonous to casting spells with a 18 int, you get to cast an extra 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spell. Magic Missle is a must it alloways hits wich is handy and you can sends each missle to a different target if you want as well.

Yeah, during an ambush in the 1st session, they all keep shouting at me to use magic missle and I said that I didn't have it as I had Mage Armor to improve my AC by 4...
So, how is Thaco determined in 3rd ed, still your AC-the opponents AC? because it goes up instead of down.

The 3E system is something like 1d20 + your attack bonus must beat (or equal?) your targets AC.

And mage armour isnt the best choice for a level 1 mage - all it will do is make you slightly tougher in melee, whereas the place for a mage is in the back ranks dealing ranged damage. With your attack bonus and HP, you dont want to be anywhere near anything more dangerous that a rat.

Not that a level 1 mage can make much use of Magic Missile, but that 1d4+1 damage can be useful at the right time, especialy for spellcaster disruption you dont want to risk on a bowmans accuracy.