diff --git a/benchmarks/agent/bench_grade.py b/benchmarks/agent/bench_grade.py
index cf56bd02..ecb578c4 100644
--- a/benchmarks/agent/bench_grade.py
+++ b/benchmarks/agent/bench_grade.py
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ def call_nodes(node):
 
 
 def count_calls(rules: list[dict], check: dict) -> int:
-    """Calls matching `call` and the positional `args` patterns, across every enabled rule (or those with the `event` id)."""
+    """Calls matching any call/args alternative, across enabled rules (or those with the `event` id)."""
+    alternatives = check.get("alternatives", [check])
     count = 0
     for rule in rules:
         content = rule["content"]
@@ -151,9 +152,12 @@ def count_calls(rules: list[dict], check: dict) -> int:
         ] + [action for action in content["actions"] if not action.get("disabled")]
         for statement in statements:
             for node in call_nodes(statement):
-                if node["call"] == check["call"] and all(
-                    int(position) < len(node["args"]) and pattern_matches(pattern, node["args"][int(position)])
-                    for position, pattern in check.get("args", {}).items()
+                if any(
+                    node["call"] == alternative["call"] and all(
+                        int(position) < len(node["args"]) and pattern_matches(pattern, node["args"][int(position)])
+                        for position, pattern in alternative.get("args", {}).items()
+                    )
+                    for alternative in alternatives
                 ):
                     count += 1
     return count
@@ -179,7 +183,8 @@ def program_calls(check: dict, entry: Path, wright: str, state: dict) -> dict:
     if result["selection"]["withheld"]:
         return check_result(check, False, f"incomplete: {result['selection']['withheld']} rule(s) withheld by maxRules")
     count = count_calls(result["rules"], check)
-    return check_result(check, check.get("min", 1) <= count <= check.get("max", count), f"{count} matching '{check['call']}' call(s) in {source} output")
+    target = "alternatives" if "alternatives" in check else f"'{check['call']}'"
+    return check_result(check, check.get("min", 1) <= count <= check.get("max", count), f"{count} matching {target} call(s) in {source} output")
 
 
 def check_result(check: dict, passed: bool, detail: str, **extra) -> dict:
diff --git a/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/exclude-event-player.en-US.ow b/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/exclude-event-player.en-US.ow
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b12631ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/exclude-event-player.en-US.ow
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+rule ("Array removal") {
+    event {
+        Ongoing - Each Player;
+        All;
+        All;
+    }
+    actions {
+        Small Message(Remove From Array(All Living Players(Team 2), Event Player), Custom String("Other players"));
+    }
+}
+
+rule ("Filter") {
+    event {
+        Ongoing - Each Player;
+        All;
+        All;
+    }
+    actions {
+        Small Message(Filtered Array(All Living Players(Team 2), Current Array Element != Event Player), Custom String("Other players"));
+    }
+}
+
+rule ("Reversed filter") {
+    event {
+        Ongoing - Each Player;
+        All;
+        All;
+    }
+    actions {
+        Small Message(Filtered Array(All Living Players(Team 2), Event Player != Current Array Element), Custom String("Other players"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/includes-event-player.en-US.ow b/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/includes-event-player.en-US.ow
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d60db2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/agent/fixtures/program-calls/includes-event-player.en-US.ow
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+rule ("Includes event player") {
+    event {
+        Ongoing - Each Player;
+        All;
+        All;
+    }
+    actions {
+        Small Message(Filtered Array(All Living Players(Team 2), Current Array Element == Event Player), Custom String("Event player"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/benchmarks/agent/test_agent_bench.py b/benchmarks/agent/test_agent_bench.py
index 4e32bdde..37403331 100644
--- a/benchmarks/agent/test_agent_bench.py
+++ b/benchmarks/agent/test_agent_bench.py
@@ -392,6 +392,48 @@ def test_program_calls_alternatives_and_event_restriction(self):
         any_of = {"call": "setStatusEffect", "args": {"3": {"any": [0.5, 0.75]}}, "min": 2}
         self.assertEqual(self.program_calls("repel.opy", [any_of, {**any_of, "event": "global"}, {**any_of, "event": "eachPlayer"}]), [True, False, True])
 
+    def test_program_calls_counts_each_node_once_across_call_alternatives(self):
+        alternatives = {"alternatives": list(self.REPEL_CHECKS), "min": 4, "max": 4}
+        for fixture in ("repel.opy", "repel.en-US.ow", "repel.zh-CN.ow"):
+            checks = [alternatives, {**alternatives, "min": 5}, {**alternatives, "max": 3},
+                      {**alternatives, "event": "global"},
+                      {**alternatives, "alternatives": [*alternatives["alternatives"], self.REPEL_CHECKS[0]]}]
+            self.assertEqual(self.program_calls(fixture, checks), [True, False, False, False, True], fixture)
+
+    def test_program_calls_accepts_equivalent_player_exclusions_and_rejects_inclusion(self):
+        event_player = {"call": "eventPlayer"}
+        element = {"call": "currentArrayElement"}
+        players = {"call": "getLivingPlayers", "args": [{"enum": "Team", "member": "TEAM_2"}]}
+        alternatives = [
+            {"call": "removeFromArray", "args": {"0": players, "1": event_player}},
+            {"call": "filteredArray", "args": {"0": players, "1": {"call": "!=", "args": [element, event_player]}}},
+            {"call": "filteredArray", "args": {"0": players, "1": {"call": "!=", "args": [event_player, element]}}},
+        ]
+        check = {"id": "exclude-player", "kind": "program-calls", "alternatives": alternatives, "min": 1, "max": 1}
+        entry = agent_bench.HERE / "fixtures/program-calls/exclude-event-player.en-US.ow"
+        authorities = bench_grade.authorities(WRIGHT, entry, self.out)
+        response = bench_grade.rule_content(WRIGHT, entry, 200)
+        for rule in response["result"]["rules"]:
+            with self.subTest(rule=rule["name"]):
+                state = {"scratch": self.out, "authorities": authorities,
+                         "ruleContent": {("wright", 200): {"result": {"rules": [rule], "selection": {"withheld": 0}}}}}
+                self.assertTrue(bench_grade.run_check(check, entry.parent, entry, WRIGHT, state)["passed"])
+        combined = {"alternatives": alternatives, "min": 3, "max": 3}
+        self.assertEqual(self.program_calls(entry.name, [combined, {**combined, "max": 2}]), [True, False])
+        self.assertEqual(self.program_calls("includes-event-player.en-US.ow", [check]), [False])
+
+    def test_program_call_alternatives_are_unavailable_without_rule_content(self):
+        entry = agent_bench.HERE / "fixtures/program-calls/repel.en-US.ow"
+        check = {"id": "c", "kind": "program-calls", "alternatives": list(self.REPEL_CHECKS)}
+        authorities = bench_grade.authorities(WRIGHT, entry, self.out)
+        for response in ({"result": [{"id": 0, "name": "r"}]},
+                         {"error": {"code": "invalid-request", "message": "unknown field"}}):
+            state = {"scratch": self.out, "authorities": authorities}
+            with patch.object(bench_grade, "rule_content", return_value=response):
+                result = bench_grade.run_check(check, entry.parent, entry, WRIGHT, state)
+            self.assertFalse(result["passed"])
+            self.assertTrue(result["unavailable"])
+
     @unittest.skipUnless(bench_grade.oracle_available(), "run `agent_bench.py setup-oracle`")
     def test_program_calls_reads_the_upstream_oracle_output(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.program_calls("repel.opy", list(self.REPEL_CHECKS), source="oracle"), [True, True])
diff --git a/docs/agent-benchmark.md b/docs/agent-benchmark.md
index b9d2ef7a..b2e9e3e3 100644
--- a/docs/agent-benchmark.md
+++ b/docs/agent-benchmark.md
@@ -276,11 +276,29 @@ of alternatives, `min`/`max` occurrences), `answer` (`answer.json` key equals
 the compiled text of `source` is read through `rules` with `content`, and the
 check counts calls whose catalog id equals `call` and whose positional `args`
 patterns match, across all rules or those with the `event` id, within
-`min`/`max`). A pattern is a rule-content node: numbers compare within 1e-9,
+`min`/`max`). Instead of a single `call`/`args`, a check can list
+`alternatives: [{"call": ..., "args": {...}}, ...]`. Each call node matching
+any alternative counts once toward the shared `min`/`max`, even if several
+alternatives match it. `event` and `maxRules` apply to the whole check.
+A pattern is a rule-content node: numbers compare within 1e-9,
 objects as a recursive subset, and `{"any": [...]}` lists alternatives. The
 check is stable across spelling, locale, and macro expansion, but not across
 restructured equivalents such as a value held in a variable, so list those
-under `any` or assert the pieces separately. A Wright that does not serve
+as call `alternatives` or argument patterns under `any`, or assert the pieces
+separately. For example, excluding the event player can use array removal or
+a filter with either operand order:
+
+```json
+{"kind": "program-calls", "alternatives": [
+  {"call": "removeFromArray", "args": {"1": {"call": "eventPlayer"}}},
+  {"call": "filteredArray", "args": {"1": {"call": "!=", "args": [
+    {"call": "currentArrayElement"}, {"call": "eventPlayer"}]}}},
+  {"call": "filteredArray", "args": {"1": {"call": "!=", "args": [
+    {"call": "eventPlayer"}, {"call": "currentArrayElement"}]}}}
+], "min": 1}
+```
+
+A Wright that does not serve
 rule content makes the check `unavailable`, never a pass; `maxRules` (default
 200) bounds the read and an incomplete read fails. Prefer `program-calls` over
 a regex; a regex over compiled text needs a `reference` that matches and a
diff --git a/docs/specs/SPEC-414-agent-benchmark-comparison.md b/docs/specs/SPEC-414-agent-benchmark-comparison.md
index 0656df07..6b22dd0e 100644
--- a/docs/specs/SPEC-414-agent-benchmark-comparison.md
+++ b/docs/specs/SPEC-414-agent-benchmark-comparison.md
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ Pilot observations that shaped this spec (Sonnet only, 2 scenarios, 18 runs; not
   (`inspect` JSON or `serve` operations). A regex over emitted text is allowed only where no structured field
   exists and ships with a positive and a negative fixture. The `program-calls` check kind (ADR-0024) reads the
   canonical rule content through `rules` with `content` and asserts on calls by catalog id and argument position.
+  A check uses either a single `call`/`args` or `alternatives: [{"call": ..., "args": {...}}, ...]`.
+  Each node matching any alternative counts once toward the shared `min`/`max`; `event` restricts all alternatives.
+  Equivalent forms are listed explicitly, without normalization or dataflow matching. Missing rule content
+  makes the check `unavailable`, never passed. See [the check format](../agent-benchmark.md#scenarios).
 - REQ-011: Reported outcome metrics are: `usable` (L1a passes, all required requirement checks pass, no
   error-severity lint finding), requirement coverage over all runs and over L1a-passing runs, time to first
   valid snapshot, valid-to-invalid regressions, wall time, and the context and token metrics of REQ-020 to REQ-024. Runtime-only claims are listed as