Before I get into my suggestion, I'd like to explain the premise of my idea. It's necessary, I think.
Firstly, having done it with one character, I have to say that starting from level 1 and getting 1,337,500 XP without dying is a truely impressive feat, and one worthy of recognition in a title. It is not my intention to cheapen this in any way, and if you'll follow me through some logic, I think you'll agree this wouldn't, or at least could be implimented in such a way that it wouldn't.
Also, given how quickly and easily level 20 can be reached by starting in Factions -- with full access to your Xunlai stash -- I would further suggest that were it provable, taking any character regardless of its circumstances and gaining 1,337,500 XP without dying once in the process would be just as impressive. Keep in mind that XP rewards for killing monsters are based on the relative level of the monster, and that high level monsters have more ways to quickly kill you. Also remember that a veteran character will likely have already done most of the easy quests already.
If you agree with me so far, then I think you'll also agree that gaining 1,337,500 XP without dying would be worthy of recognition in a title, regardless of how many times said character has died before going for the title.
If you agree with that, then finally, here is my idea.
A button in the interface or an NPC you can talk to. Regardless of how it is implimented, characters which have died can pay a fee (something around the cost of fully kitting out a new character with max armour, runes, skills, some of which from tomes, et cetera) to gain an empty 'Survivor' title track in their hero window. If they already had a title track, disabled by deaths and not maxed out, its count will be reset to zero. If they didn't have one, they will now have one with 0 XP listed in it. The character's level, skills, actual XP, et cetera would not change, only the title value would. From that point on, the title works as normal, increasing with XP gained until the character attains the maximum title or incurs a death. Should the character die, another reset can be purchased for the same fee, because after all, having to start over is bad enough.
Naturally there would have to be some safeguard, like typing the character's name, to prevent accidental resetting. And in case anyone wants to know why I'd like this, it's because my favourite character is actually as old as Prophacies. She has the most impressive accomplishments of any character of mine. She had 78% of Tyria mapped when titles came in. And of course, since there was no incentive not to die, she had over 100 deaths at that time too, meaning she never had a chance to go for the survivor title.
EDIT: I figure I should pull my updated argument into the first post.
Firstly, this could be further restricted to only those who have a Legendary Survivor character on their account already. Secondly, I think getting a survivor on a new character would actually be EASIER than getting one on and old character through this method. Here's why.
Making a new character:
Step 1) Start in Nightfall.
Step 2) Get to Kamadan without dying.
Step 3) Get into the consulate docks with help from friends, and buy max armour.
Step 4) With max armour, have a leasurly time getting to Factions.
Step 5) Use Factions' high XP quests to get to level 20 quickly with little risk by using non-party-member NPCs to help you.
With this method you can get to level 20 relatively quickly and with little risk, since most of it can be done killing monsters of level equivelant to yours, who can't really hurt you because you have max armour. However, using the method I suggested, the older character would have to get the same mount of XP killing monsters around level 20, which /can/ hurt a level 20 character with max armour. Quite badly too. So the initial 140,600 XP is easier for the new character, and after that the playing field is level.
Lastly, remember that this would cost money. If it was more than the cost of setting up a new character to be a survivor (skills, possibly tomes, armour, runes), I think people would stick for wiping characters unless they /really/ want to get the title on characters like my one. Then it would be fair.
In summary:
* Getting Legendary Survivor would be marginally easier on a brand new character if you spend enough money setting them up
* This method would cost as much or slightly more than that, and would reset your Survivor XP count to 0, no matter how far you'd gotten, so getting the title would be no quicker.
* Getting Legendary Survivor is NOT HARD, IF you use your brain and throw enough money at it. What it is, is time consuming. So if you're willing to put in the extra legwork, why should you be penalised for not wanting to delete your old characters?
Final thoughts:
* This should probably be restricted to characters who don't have 'Legendary Defender of Ascalon'.
* This would not involve resetting your death count. You would just have to gain the required XP without incuring any MORE deaths.
S

