This one is a bit cheezey.

I cast improved invisibility on Cernd before he went into the pit. I also buffed him with just about every potion available (as mentioned above). Waste of potions though.

When improved invisibility was on, I just walked over and got the staff and started ploughing into Faldorn. She didn't even try to dispel or respond with melee attacks. Nor did she shapechange at all. Due to the potion of speed, she died after about 20 seconds of combat, without doing a single thing. Perhaps this was a bug, perhaps not, but it kinda ruined the fun of the battle. But after 4 reloads, it was blessed relief.

Nifft: yep, I was quite surprised myself about this. I think I did have some STR belt on him, mainly because I didn't plan to keep him really, just figured that I'll do his quests, get the XP for those and then leave him with his son in the Grove. Time for him to care for his child (and we know where that lead to eventually heh). He had his staff with him, but I never really used him in the melee combat, as he's just too sissy. Even with his werewolf form. So I gave to him the Sling of Seeking, which also has the STR damage bonus, STR belt of some sort, and naturally his staff. Idea simply was that he will be more useful with the sling rather then with the staff, but in case someone does whack him, he can switch to staff and attack back some, and belt would have helped in both cases.

I usually use Jaheira in these battles, as she's anyway pretty good at melee when she gets there, better then Faldorn, not to mention the spells. But this time I figured, that let the Cernd do the fight. After all, he was sent to investigate it and not Jaheira. But I was sort of tired and also was wondering, what will happen when the Cernd gets defeated (as he's too wussy in the melee, Faldorn seemed to have more potential). So I sent him in, and set the computer to control the fight, scripted fight shortly. Of course, by the script Cernd is set to win the fight anyway I think. But still I didn't think he is any real good in melee.. Until. Until he was in the pit, turned into the werewolf and kicked the Faldorn to the moon and so hard, that she bumped all the way back to Faerun. Holy smoke, if Cernd would be so resourceful in any other place as he was in that ring, he'd be one of my front line fighters heheh.. Sadly he aint, after the fight he was back to the ole sissy he is in melee combat.