3) Alt-chain merit giving. Once 10 alt accounts or so have enough merit, they could now use their monthly allowance to instantly pass the merit requirements on their new alt accounts.
What monthly allowance?
My understanding is that when the initial bonus is exhausted it will be quite hard to earn new merit. There will be some pandering to the 35 hand-picked apostles and it's not quite clear how they will be held accountable, but alt farmers will have a hard time until they figure out some way to game the system. Dormant accounts don't get the bonus so they would have to buy high-ranked active accounts.