Oh man, I forgot about the x4 at level one bit.

Yeah, she gets 4 skill points at level 1. When you said "only one skill point per level" you were correct--you just meant "per level after the first level." Level one is special like that.

Incidentally, I recommend putting ALL skill ranks in one skill. Better to be a master of a few trades than a jack of all. And with one skill point per higher level, you're painfully far away from "all."

ok, are you using the standard WoTC character sheet? If not, please post (or e-mail me) a link to your blank character sheet. I can help you out to the best of my knowledge. (after 5pm EST)

I think I printed the revised WoTC sheets from the website last night.

Yes, at first level she gets at least the 1 skill point. However, most DMs rule that a 1st level character gets at least 4 skill points 4*max[1,2+INT modifier] = 4*max(1,0) = 4 (if that makes sense).

The race modifiers are permanent effects that are applied during character creation, not game-play. So if your elf rolled and 13 DEX and a 13 CON, it would apply the +2 DEX -2 CON to get a 15 DEX and a 11 CON, and those would be its stats for the game.

Assuming you're using a generally standard sheet, there should be a line of 4 boxes for each stat. From left to right:
* The first holds the ability score, (your 15 DEX).
*The second hold the ability modifier (+2 which corresponds to a 15).
*The last two should be greyish and should read in small type above them "temporary score" and "temporary modifier." These boxes should initially be left black. They are there in case something happens to your character that temporarily changes the ability score. For example, casting the spell Cat's Grace raises your dex by 4 for a couple minutes. Thus you would have a temporary dex of 19 (which grants a +4 modifier), and you would write that in the temporary score, so that when the spell wore off you could just erase that and still have your actual ability score.

Does that make sense? If you're using a different character sheet than the standard, go ahead and post it so that we can see it and help you out.

T_T The only woeful problem with the temporary ability score line is that, if your scores change a lot, you'll eat through the character sheet fairly quickly.

That's true. But then, are you really expecting your ability scores to change faster than your HP?

depends on what skills you cast.

dur. spells.

That's where you just suck it up and remember what spells you've cast on yourself. ;-)

Or, be like me and keep a Game Notebook where you keep track of all the temporary things that happen during a particular session, like HP and ability buffs/damage and things like that. And funny quotes that people say.

That's what kicks me about character sheets: you're expected to have to erase and rewrite many things, but normal paper can't stand up to such things.

:] It is for this reason that I use index cards to keep track of all temporary things.

I use it for frequent stat changes, such as if I'm a barbarian, I'll have a my raging stats there. Or if I pick up a stat boost item, I'll have that figured up there.

You should still be getting 4 points at first level [(2+INT)x4, minimum (1)x4] and 1 point at every level thereafter [2+INT, minimum 1).

Racial modifiers apply after the scores are rolled.

Yep, she gets one skill point per level. I suggest Knowledge (religion) if she turns undead, because it gives you a synergy bonus on the turning check (this is complicated and you should ask your DM to explain it).

Racial modifiers to ability (Str, Dex, etc) scores do change the actual score, not just the game-by-game rolls. So if I had an elf who rolled a 12 for Con and a 15 for Dex, her scores would change (permanently) to 10 Con and 17 Dex.

If you've got the official 3.5 character sheet, it's a grid of boxes in the upper left corner, just under the "Name, Race, Deity" section. There should be "Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha" in the first column, then six boxes in the second, third, fourth, and fifth columns. The second and third columns are white/black, and the fourth and fifth columns are shaded grey (since they represent Temporary Scores and Modifiers).

yes it is complicated and I am the DM. I have DM'd before but not since AD&D. And the other players either haven't played themselves or haven't played sincd AD&D either (and I still know more than them because most of them were in my old group)

http://www.d20srd.org

Free online source of the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual (minus all copyrighted things like the tarrasque, beholders, and all the gods).

Read it OVER AND OVER AGAIN until you understand things. It is your friend.

Good luck!!! I learned a whole lot my first time DM'ing (although I had been a player before) so remember to roll with the punches and that the first and foremost point is to have fun with it.

thanks. I have copies of all three manuals but I think my PH and MM are 3.0 and DM guide 3.5.

thanks for all the help. If I get stuck again you'll see me. Once I get one character done the rest shouldn't be so hard.

If your cleric was human (rather than an elf, right?), rather than getting 4 skill points at 1st level and 1 every level therafter, you would get 8 skill points at 1st, and 2 thereafter. The bonus skill points human get are added afterward, without taking into account the Int modifier.