As I've mentioned before, I animate outside of the computer, then scan & do cleanup & vectorizing in Illustrator.

The FPS question is an interesting one, as the 30 fps paradigm seems to shift when working on the web (no matter how poor-quality your television is, the framerate of an animation is not going to change. This is not the case on the web). I've gone as low as 10fps, which can draw out a short animation and work if you have strong keys. Otherwise, I usually try to hit somewhere between 15-24 fps, or 30 is a good default for complex animation.
I don't think there is a specific amount, so much, you just need to experiment with different settings. Others' thoughts/experiences on framerates?