This game has the worst customer service 10+ day response time.

[MistakeNot]

So, he cannot make a replica of the character. Given now you can "save appearance" from login screen, I wonder if trying save that, and load it again on a new character, will works. Apart the gear.

But, for just "play the game", he is not locked on create a non-legacy character, isn't it?

Of course he can create a new character (and he already have at least one other character), but a new character won't be a legacy character and won't get whatever extras it is legacy characters do get.