For your other questions, yes, barebones is easier.... Motherboard is already in place, fans are already there, usually the power & reset buttons & LEDS are already hooked up to the motherboard.... throw (not literally) in the CPU, RAM, HDD's, optical drives, and expansion cards (sound, video, etc.)...
As far as the static is concerned.... I have worked on a BUNCH of PC's, and have never used a static wrist strap. It is harder than you would think to get static discharge into a part when building, (unless you're being a moron). If you build the PC on a table, or tile surface, you're golden. To be a smart ***, I took apart, and re-built one of my OOLLLLD systems once...... did it on comfy carpeting, wearing cotton socks & sweatpants.... no static (not that I would recommend it.... the PC I was working on was practically garbage anyways.)
Good practices:
-build PC somewhere other than on carpet, or a bed or couch.
- Touch the chassis of the PC before touch any of the PCB's.
-don't TRY to build up static.
-TAKE YOUR TIME!!!!! <<----- CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!