MC Bard question

[Emongnome]

I recently acquired the BoEM II and am very pleased with Monte Cook's version of the bard. Here's my question maybe you guys can enlighten me on: Why does the bard suffer spell failure for his spellsongs while wearing heavy enough armor? I honestly believe in the rule for a balance issue, but I am more looking for some explanation beyond "it's good balance". Armor spell failure applies only to spells with somatic components and spellsongs are verbal only. Since he mentions that spellsongs are "in every way" just about to be considered as spells, I guess I expected an explanation. Any ideas of what I can tell a player that wants to play a bard and asks this same question? "Because Monte says so" doesn't quite cut it.

 

[zorlag]

Hmm...

I vaguely remember him stating that wearing heavy armour is restrictive and having freedom to breathe is important when doing spellsongs. It's mostly flavor thing, of course, so you can rule0 it if you feel like it.

Z.