Disadvantage is not really that big of a deal, in my experience. If you're emotionally comfortable rolling for stealth, then you're probably still comfortable rolling for stealth twice. Especially because the DC of your stealth check is usually quite a bit lower of a hurdle (at Tier 1 usually no higher than 14, often quite a bit lower, meaning a proficient high-dex character will succeed on rolls of 6-9+ depending on foe) than the attack of a monster (routinely +5-6 to hit, meaning they might be hitting you near 50% of the time with low AC). I'd rather have to pass two stealth checks in a row that I'm 70% favored for, rather than let every monster swinging at me have a 50% rather than 45% chance to hit.
About half the party has stealth and I find myself on point about 1/2 the time...For note I'm running 1 bard 2 warlock and the rest sorcerer. I have the choice of +1 breast plate or +1 half plate.
This is what the OP mentioned as far as level and gear.
The choice here is between a 16 AC (breast plate with no Medium Armor Master), 17 AC w/ disadvantage (half plate with no medium armor master), or 18 AC (half plate with medium armor master). The choice between the 16 and 17 options in Tier 1 is one thing, but the 18 option should be a given by the time you're at tier 2, or definitely by tier 3. Quit doing analysis for Tier 2 and 3, because he's only a level 3 character right now, and obviously he'll get Medium Armor Master down the line if AC and stealth continue to be important for him.
The character is at least level 3 but very easily could be higher, since they didn't mention how many levels of sorcerer that they had (could be 0-17). I definitely think that disadvantage is less of an issue at level 3 and possibly up to level 5. The fact that other players could step in more also lends itself to the OP taking the AC, particularly since that class combination doesn't lend itself to high HP.
Also note that it's a breastplate +1 or a half plate +1. Those are rare, which the DMG says should start showing up around 5th level and costing between 501 and 5000 gp. When the OP said that they had a choice between the two, my assumption was that the party had found each. I didn't consider that the OP could have been deciding between the two for purchase. Considering that normal breastplate costs 400 gp and half plate is 750 gp, I'd assume that the cost of purchasing those items at a +1 level would be at least 500 gp plus that amount if not higher. They weren't specific about the mode of acquisition or the nature of campaign. As such, I assumed that they would be in tier 2 or possibly tier 3.
The AC levels that you gave are all normal levels, the +1 would be higher. This would make them 17 for breastplate, +1, 18 for breastplate, +1 with Medium Armor Master or half plate, +1 without, and 19 for half plate, +1 with Medium Armor Master. This does allow the OP to have the higher ACs without the disadvantage. If the acquisition is through purchase, the price should be considered but not as a final consideration.
At lower levels AC is more important, but at higher levels, saving throws start to become more important. If you're debating between a +1 half plate and a +1 breast plate, you're probably at a high enough level where AC is not as important and saving throws are a bigger deal when it comes to preventing/decreasing damage or avoiding nasty effects
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Disadvantage is not really that big of a deal, in my experience. If you're emotionally comfortable rolling for stealth, then you're probably still comfortable rolling for stealth twice. Especially because the DC of your stealth check is usually quite a bit lower of a hurdle (at Tier 1 usually no higher than 14, often quite a bit lower, meaning a proficient high-dex character will succeed on rolls of 6-9+ depending on foe) than the attack of a monster (routinely +5-6 to hit, meaning they might be hitting you near 50% of the time with low AC). I'd rather have to pass two stealth checks in a row that I'm 70% favored for, rather than let every monster swinging at me have a 50% rather than 45% chance to hit.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
This is what the OP mentioned as far as level and gear.
The character is at least level 3 but very easily could be higher, since they didn't mention how many levels of sorcerer that they had (could be 0-17). I definitely think that disadvantage is less of an issue at level 3 and possibly up to level 5. The fact that other players could step in more also lends itself to the OP taking the AC, particularly since that class combination doesn't lend itself to high HP.
Also note that it's a breastplate +1 or a half plate +1. Those are rare, which the DMG says should start showing up around 5th level and costing between 501 and 5000 gp. When the OP said that they had a choice between the two, my assumption was that the party had found each. I didn't consider that the OP could have been deciding between the two for purchase. Considering that normal breastplate costs 400 gp and half plate is 750 gp, I'd assume that the cost of purchasing those items at a +1 level would be at least 500 gp plus that amount if not higher. They weren't specific about the mode of acquisition or the nature of campaign. As such, I assumed that they would be in tier 2 or possibly tier 3.
The AC levels that you gave are all normal levels, the +1 would be higher. This would make them 17 for breastplate, +1, 18 for breastplate, +1 with Medium Armor Master or half plate, +1 without, and 19 for half plate, +1 with Medium Armor Master. This does allow the OP to have the higher ACs without the disadvantage. If the acquisition is through purchase, the price should be considered but not as a final consideration.
At lower levels AC is more important, but at higher levels, saving throws start to become more important. If you're debating between a +1 half plate and a +1 breast plate, you're probably at a high enough level where AC is not as important and saving throws are a bigger deal when it comes to preventing/decreasing damage or avoiding nasty effects