Welcome dude.. The overwhelming majority of Pvpers on this server are "scribe mages" Or "heal mages" both with hand stuns.
This has always been my go to thunder template, it's nice to be able to solo taps without multi boxxing
No, weapon condition should have no merit on success chance. Increased chance only comes from using Exceptional or Slayer instruments and a small bonus for each other GM barding skill. From UOStratics: http://uo2.stratics.com/skill-guides/skills-and-professions/musicianship/6715-2/ "Each time Targeted Peacemaking is attempted, a difficulty check is performed based on the creature's Barding Difficulty versus the attempting character's combined skill in Musicianship and Peacemaking. (You receive a small bonus from each other barding skill) Area Peace Used in this way all creatures (and players if your skill is GM or above) in the area of effect, except you, will be thrown out of war mode. Creatures will take only 2-10 seconds to retarget. An alert player will take considerably less. To achieve this effect use the skill, peacemaking and target yourself. Targeted Peace To use the skill on a specific creature, target the creature. If successful it will stop fighting, however whenever the affected creature is attacked it will try to resume hostilities, eventually the creature will break the effect no matter how skilled the bard and how weak the creature. Peacemake has a delay of 5 seconds following a successful attempt and 10 seconds following a failure. Note: Targeted Peace will not work on characters (PC or NPC). The base range of all bard abilities is 8 tiles, with each 15 points of skill in the ability being used increasing this range by one tile, at 120/120 Musicianship and Peacemaking, the range is 18 tiles. Bards must be within this range of the target to use the ability. Once Peacemaking has been used on a target, the bard must remain alive, visible, and within range of the target or the effect ends." Range is probably 14-16 since we don't have powerscrolls. And Target peace does work on player's NPCS (pets, summons).
hehe, I am a slow learner and I am old anyway, but I have to say, I am impressed so much with this UO:R. I will be here a while (just started 5 days ago.)
"Targeted Mode: In targeted mode, Peacemake is difficulty-based, with difficulty being computed identically to Provocation and Discordance. Upon a successful Peacemake, the target becomes reluctant to fight. Immediately upon effect initiation, the target stops fighting. Thereafter, until the effect is ended per standard rules, whenever the affected creature is attacked for whatever reason tries to start fighting, there is a chance (based on bard skill and creature difficulty) that the creature will instead return to a peaceful state." Once a Peace'd creature is attacked, it will always try to start fighting again but it doesn't indicate what that chance is. But yes, it would go off your "Bard skill" which is the combined total of your Music + Peace + (Instrument [norm, exeptional, slayer] + bonus from other GM bard skills) - creature's Barding Difficulty. Sometimes I can Peace a Balron and mana dump without it reattacking through the ~10-15 second Peace. I run GM Discord, Peace, Provoke, Music, Eval, Magery, Med and use Exorcism instruments. Side note: Area peacemaking works through walls. So if a creature is after you, you don't need LOS for Area Peace to pacify it. And if it's behind a wall, it won't be able to attack you. However, creatures that are Area Peace'd will immediately reattack their closest target (great for luring PKs into). Almost as good as an Invis. Hope that helps.
Yes, always top quality instrument and any additional barding skills you can fit on the template. I carry an Exceptional instrument if I need to Provoke two different 'Slayer Types' onto each other, too. But yes, always look to boost your "Bard Skill". It's like a Bard's Evaluating Intel, we just can't see the numbers in game.