Somehow I cant imagine devs being like "hey, this guide sucks, but lets make it a winning one, because my friend wrote it". If they want to give friends special items they will do it without competition.
Will they? I thought devs often kept out of player affairs unless they are needed for real, and not just to have their ass kissed.
Only an idiot could think that developers would prefer to cheat some stupid item for some player than to choose the best possible tutorial for THEIR game. I doubt anyone from the staff cares who controls the towns or who has the most expensive items. I know I don't. Also all GMs are long time players, many of them still play and I can assure you we know very well how playing on normal char look like.
I agree that staff should judge it, Devs probably have secret player characters, I know some GM's have had player characters in the past, and why the hell not?
Also uh... If that without competition thing counts with GM's... Can I have a Vertibird that bombs unsafe towns before entry, Jovy? I'll totally be your bestest friend!