>>How does the extra exp per level work? Elves is 500 if I
>>remember, but when a character requires tens of thousands of
>>exp to rank at higher levels, it seems minor. I'm sure there's
>>more to it I don't understand...
>
>Probably, someone helpful can dig up a link to a post somewhere with the math worked out, but here's the gist of it:
>
>A 0 xp penalty character needs something like 1500 XP to reach level 2. Every level thereafter requires a higher multiple of that base number to level.
>
>Assuming my numbers are right, an elf base-penalty class (e.g. elf warrior) would need 2000 XP for level 2.
>
>When the 0 penalty character needs 9000 XP to get a level, maybe the 500 penalty needs 12000 XP.

This is the best information I have found on the topic.
http://diku.qhcf.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?XPChart