similar, but it can be more powerful than magic because if you can hear, it affects you if the bard wants it too. but they usually don't overuse their music. in every game I've seen bards as a class, there's always some sort of price. Either it's that if you interrupt their song it cancels the effect completely, or it's not very good for their health if they use it constantly, or something like that. some sort of price. But the higher level songs can be MUCH better than magic. But there's usually a price for overusing it.