iop is tough as a mm, most/all mobs water resist. Am having the same problem myself, only place with fire resist is fog, and not really a good idea to solo there.
Ive seen SPS's lvling IoP but they seem to just use light vortex and the lightning looking spell (im not an sps so i got no clue at the name of it, but it looks like lightning) actually im pretty sure its solar flare...anyhoo, yeh u dont just need to use water attacks.
yeah, thats true, but it gets a little slow, having to wait for vortex to be ready. takes me 5-6 hydroblasts, or vortex/blast and flare to kill 1 mob there. Its possible, and xp is ok(ish), but not ideal spot, although arcana with +++water will sort that
****... 5-6? I guess I've become spoiled. With emp (scroll or se) and at around 100 element on an arcana I have been able to two shot most of the mobs in the southern area of IoP. The one's further towards the highlands seemed to either have more hp or higher water resist (not to mention they tend to resist 1/3 of nukes) so I wasn't able to two shot them until closer to level 4 water.
Even so, anywhere you can get 3-4k xp per nuke is good xp up until about your level where its a good idea to drop whatever support you have and aim for 6-12k xp per nuke. Also, not the easiest thing to get without a lvl4 element AM. But, lvl 70-80 catas.... FoG (if you have noble port-- getting back there solo is not gonna happen without a 78 BD).... IoP.... Ketra/Varka.... Pagans (getting your pp back there will be troublesome until 75)....
Am hitting mobs there for 900 or so with hydro, thats with se/pp buffs and +3 som, at lvl 76, Think they have 4500 or so hp, so 5-6 shots when 1 fails, which it seems to each mob, Vortex/blast/flare works better, but slower. Guess i need an arcana, shame craft failed last week:-(
Forgot that I'm also using an Arcana Robe set in addition to the Arcana Mace. +17% m.atk.
Don't forget to seed yourself while you're out there. 20 elemental attack should boost your nuke a few hundred dmg against them. Probably be 3-5 shot still with SoM, depending on the mob. The Kleopora (though it doesn't list it) is weak to holy; should be able to two shot them with Light vortex/flare. Although, they don't drop firestones. Vortex's will help a good bit when you're 77.
Until you can consistently 2-3 shot them, it probably won't be very cost effective to level there (only because of the decrease in firestone drops since k+. I was able to fund both my AM craft and A.Robes before the patch).
IoP is easy for sps lvl 76+. I can 2 hit lvl 83 mobs with 2 hydroblasts. I have:
-arcana robe
-zerg2
-emp3
-170 water element(altho it makes no difference in dmg compared to 130+)
To add enough water element to ur AM, just use all ur money to buy firestone, u will make them back in no time :)