Swapping from Steam to non-Steam client?

[Keydah]

But could you buy a non-Steam version of ARR and apply it to your existing account?
I'm hearing a lot of mixed info on this, some say you can, others say you'd have to start again with new characters (not a bloody option, seriously).

Nope. You have to make a whole new account. It won't accept the key, as far as I've been told.