Except that it does limit and hurt Leader options such as those of a Warlord who rely on the RBA (if an archer warlord) and MBAs (literally every other warlord) of their allies.

As for Boon items, you're right that they're not "one shot". However, they can't be purchased or created the way standard slot-items can. They MUST be given by the GM, meaning that the GM should only be including these items if he thinks his game can handle it. Also, they should never include enhancement bonuses (they can grant item bonuses, meaning that the bonuses do not stack with slot items), using their powers still counts against magic item uses per day, and they should only last about 5 levels. Limiting the power of boons will kind of hurt their story power. Boon alternative rewards are meant to be tightly tied to the story of your over all game. They're not meant to be just standard treasure doled out after slaying a dragon, unless slaying that dragon was part of an epic quest you were put on by your deity.

So does denying strong RBAs and MBAs to all other roles. Again, I don't think this is an adequate argument for handing out Melee Training to Strikers. A strong MBA for a Striker is not nearly as crucial as it is for a Defender. While an BA granting Leader makes their case more compelling, it does not obviate this fact (besides being a particular case in spite of the archetype's popularity). Defenders need it to effectively fulfill their role as a rule; Strikers do not.

Could you cite the rules section which explicitly states that only a DM can hand out and issue alternate rewards?


Second iteration:

Bull Rush - Attack
You hurl yourself at your foe and push it back.
At-Will ✦
Standard Action - Melee touch
Target: One creature. You cannot target enemies with phasing if you don't have phasing.
Attack: Strength +3/6/9 vs. Fortitude
Hit: You push the target 1 square plus 1 square for every 2 points your attack roll beat the target's defense by. You shift 1 square into the space the target left each time you push the target 1 square in this way. If you cannot, you cannot push the target any further. If you exceed the target's defense by 5+, you can choose to knock the target prone. You cannot push the target more squares in this way than your speed.


Grab - Attack
You reach out and grasp your foe, preventing it from moving.
At-Will ✦
Standard Action - Melee touch
Requirement: You must have a hand free.
Target: One creature. You cannot target enemies with phasing if you don't have phasing.
Attack: Strength +3/6/9 vs. Fortitude. The target gains a +5 bonus to its defense for each size category it is larger than you beyond the first. You automatically hit willing allies and targets that can't take actions.
Hit: You grab the target until the end of your next turn, or until the target gains phasing while you don't have phasing. The target has a +5 bonus on all checks to escape this grab for each size category it is larger than you beyond the first. You can end the grab as a free action.
Sustain Minor: The grab persists per the hit clause.


Grabbed: A grabbed creature is immobilized until the grab ends. The grabbing creature can perform the following actions against a creature it's grabbing:

Drag - Attack
You lurch your foe about.
At-Will ✦
Move Action - Melee touch
Target: One creature you are grabbing. You cannot target enemies with phasing if you don't have phasing.
Attack: Strength +3/6/9 vs. Fortitude. The target gains a +5 bonus to its defense for each size category it is larger than you beyond the first. You automatically hit willing allies and targets that can't take actions.
Hit: You move up to half your speed and pull the target with you. You and the target don't provoke opportunity attacks against each other for moving in this way. If you hit by 5+, or succeed on a Strength check against an Easy DC of the target's level if you automatically hit, you can move your full speed instead.

Pin - Attack
You force your opponent to the ground.
At-Will ✦
Standard Action - Melee touch
Target: One creature you are grabbing. You cannot target enemies with phasing if you don't have phasing.
Attack: Strength +3/6/9 vs. Fortitude. The target gains a +5 bonus to its defense for each size category it is larger than you beyond the first. You automatically hit willing allies and targets that can't take actions.
Hit: You and the target fall prone and neither of you can stand from prone until your grab on the target ends. You don't grant combat advantage to the target for being prone.


A grabbed creature can perform the Escape action:

Escape
You pry free from your opponent's grasp or slip through its fingers.
At-Will ✦
Move Action - Personal
Target: The creature or game element grabbing you
Effect: Make an Athletics check against the target's Fortitude or an Acrobatics check (or the DC provided with the Grab if any) against the target's Reflex. On a success, the target's grab on you ends and you can shift 1 square.


These rules replace Grab's 'move a grabbed target' option, replace the Escape option and redefine the Grabbed condition.

Why? Makes the Grab and Bull Rush options less situational and more interesting to use. Improves verisimilitude by preventing grabs on targets with phasing while you don't have phasing.

I was mistaken. Under overview it does state that rewards can replace around one item per level.

However, it does also provide rules for shortening duration.

Yes, though it's important to note this applies specifically to DM granted Alternate Rewards, not player enchanted ones, and the loss is to be ultimately compensated (as a point of recommendation, like the temporary durations).

So far as I know, there's no way to gain boons or alternate rewards except through Treasure Packets. It does offer some ways that a GM might allow PCs to create them (divine boons, for instance, recommends some sort of religion ritual) but there are no existing rules to govern such as the game stands.

A person could, theoretically, pay for grandmaster training. But again, it would be on the GM to govern how that's handled. There are prices attatched to some of the rewards, but it's not as if a character could walk up to an elemental and politely ask for the Blessing of Flame.

Further, even if temporary (though the DMG 2 also recommends against removing Alternate Rewards that are used by the PCs frequently), a lot of alternate rewards are profoundly overpowered for their level, cost and rarity, so my rules can be considered a good advisement at a bare minimum.

The DMG2 also doesn't address the issue of taking Alternate Rewards as starting equipment when beginning at levels above 1.

Added to the new grab mechanics:

Hold On Tight!
Caught in your grasp, the dragon seeks to become airborne in order to shake you loose; you decide to come along for the ride.
At-Will ✦
Free Action - Melee touch
Trigger: A creature you are grabbing that is larger than you attempts to move willingly without teleporting
Target: The triggering creature
Effect: You can waive the immobilized effect of your grab on the target for the triggering movement, if you do, you move with the target (including vertically if it flies). You can take an opportunity attack against the target as normal. Otherwise the target can make an escape attempt if it spent a Standard or Move action to attempt the triggering movement.

Yeah, that's definitely something I would house rule against. My impression I get from Alternate Rewards is that they're meant to be a lot more story-heavy than standard magic items. Although I will say that they should be standard in any Dark Sun game, considering you don't really get a lot of magic items in dark sun.

TBH, even in Dark Sun, just let them enchant mundane gear rather than letting them enchant OP slotless nonsense.

If you really want to hand out the Alternate Rewards, they should be strictly DM controlled, with rights of refusal and rescindment in place.

I made some grappling rules for 4e. I agree it's an area of the game that's sorely lacking.

Basically a player could use extra grappling attempts after the first one on successive turns. If they succeed on the second check they gain "leverage" over the grapple which gives them some extra options like "break limb" which dazes the enemy or gives them a +3 to bullrush, or trip. If the enemy has less than 1/4 HP and they have leverage they gain "fatal embrace" which lets them "break neck" or a couple other finishing moves that do massive unarmed damage.

I just think it gives players some options to finish someone off with their bare hands. After all, it always seemed silly to me that you couldn't do any real damage to someone just because you are grappling with them. arm-bars, leg-locks, and sweet Mexican wrestling moves should all be in.