LogFAQs > #964746961

My usual regular rotation with Melia starts with Bolt>Copy (2x Bolt buff)>Earth>Discharge>Ice>Discharge>Flare>Discharge, then leaving the two Bolt buffs active while cycling between further Bolts, Wind (if everything else is on cooldown), and whatever DoT's need refreshing as cooldowns permit. Depending on the fight, I may opt for a different buff (Bolt>Earth>Copy will give a smaller Ether boost plus a physical def boost and flow into the same rotation, Wind>Copy>Etc is a very nice agility boost if you're against something much higher level, etc.), but that's the basic gist of it. When the target's almost dead, I'll throw out those remaining bolts to finish it off, since there' no point hanging on to them.

Chain attacks get a bit trickier, because you want to engineer them so discharging Earth happens as late as possible in the chain. Earth's DoT lasts a whopping 90 seconds (75 without the duration-boosting skill, iirc), and if you've got the damage boost from a chain attack when you apply it, that boost lasts for its entire duration, dealing an absolutely insane amount of damage if you get the 4-chain or 5-chain boost (12x and 15x damage, if memory serves, which can very easily give you ticks of 15-30k). You can get a pretty reliable 4-chain by having Earth second in line, then opening the chain attack by discharging #1, having your other two party members use arts of the same colour (anything), then discharging Earth on Melia's second turn (if you get it). If your affinity is high enough to expect Melia to get a third turn, you can try to get a 5-chain leading into it, but that requires some luck and/or high affinity.