Runes are not behind a wall at all. You can buy them off the AH. You don't even need the best ones. The purple are fine if the orange are really expensive. however, if your in a guild and you put in a little effort for the mats, you can get them pretty easily.
The essences, yeah, behind a little wall. However, once you have the rep on your main, he can buy the stuff for your alt and send it. All the stuff you buy with rep is BoA. Sure, you gotta grind up the IS, but hey, it's not that bad. Especially if you buy some vials.
Funny that you say it's cute if I do not have an alt when I have a 60 mage and Rogue who both raid and working on a Cleric now. however, the guild I am in is in my sig(actually it's not anymore, saw that after posting this. We are the<Praetorians>) and I am the raid leader. Kinda on break from them right now and leveling my alt in another guild though. But hey, you wanna come join us, be my guest. Hit me up in game sometime. Yes, I realize 500 hit is required for T2 but that is easily achieved with a full set of T1 gear. We do not require best runes and best essences, as long as you are working on improving them.
T1 does not need a nerf. It is super easy with a semi-coordinated group. We can and have 8-manned it, with only a couple people in the group T2 ready. Heck, my mage can solo heal the place. If it is too hard for you, I am sorry, that is not Trions fault and they should not nerf the game to the lowest common denominator. Please keep it challenging for those of us that want it.