The way around spending lots of plat is to create multiple characters. You have one per account and load up on devices.
For example I now have 17 devices and this has let me level 8 toons to 165 using zero pots zero Lix and only a very few idols. I half afk them and if anyone dies I use spring to life instead of idols. I have multiple toons of each class so I never rebirth or alt. I have another batch of 6 rogues all 139 and climbing, again zero Lix pots or idols as I have tag along Druids.
You do have to spend some plat, direct or indirect, but I use the gold I save buying Lix and pots to buy sigils, Lux, etc.
Locking bosses you will still have to compete with plat buyers but it's easy to beat rage when everyone has many toons. My goal is to be able to solo the 215 6s edl by New Years.
Unlike plat if you tire of ch you can play other games on them (very popular in clash of clans) or even sell them on eBay to get most of your money back (Apple devices have excellent resale value, even if broken)
I've spent so little on plat I actually feel guilty and will be supporting OTM again next double plat event.
How do you afk without it timing out on you? Do you actually touch the screen every 4 min or so to get around this? Also most toons will just get killed somewhat quickly if they are auto attacking and not using skills. I've always wondered how people have been able to level toons afk. Unless of course they script out progressions...