According to the dodging AB file and the announcements surrounding the release of bards, greatrobes (and other armor above leather) hinder the movements of an acrobat and make it more difficult for them to dodge. This is the reason that the batting skill was added for tailors - bards were concerned that they would have to use leather armor all the time and lose their proofs. I spoke to several bards in the beginning who kept one set of greatrobes for hunting, and a suit of leather armor for fighting. More recently, though, everyone I have talked to has implied that wearing greatrobes actually has no negative impact at all on dodging. People have heard Estarra mention that she didn't know of any negative consequences for greatrobes, and other people say that no such consequences are coded in.

I care simply because monks, whether they choose acrobats or psymet, do not seem to be able to wear leather armor at all. If dodging is not affected by greatrobes, that's not a big deal, except that the dodging AB suggests that they need leather armor even though they can't wear it. If dodging is affected by it, then it gives acrobatic monks a huge disadvantage.

So, for those bards out there, does anyone have any tests? Does your armor actually affect your ability to dodge at all, or if so, how much?

Zia and I just completed our testing of that two days ago, with 200 trials with robes vs. 200 with leather, in which we made sure all other variables were consistent. As with previous tests, we found no significant difference. Greatrobes dodged slightly more often in every test, but so little as to be mere statistical fluke. Specifically in our most recent, largest, and most carefully done test:

Greatrobes: 168 hits, 32 dodges.
Leathers: 173 hits, 27 dodges.

We've removed all recommendations for leather from Spiritsinger scrolls and I'm getting robes in at the Fifth as soon as I can get them enchanted.