Pyroclastic Template Help

[Xhosant]

There's a race of Planar Dragons in Draconomicon, called Pyroclastic Dragons. They're best described as a "volcano dragon" with a fire/sonic breath (and a disintegrate breath, but I won't hold on to that for the template). They also pack some fire resist and typical dragon tricks.

As you've guessed, I want to make a Pyroclastic template to give them neighbors. I want to enforce their fiery/destructive nature, but all I've come up with so far, except for fire resistance and the occasional grounding ability, is this:

Give them an explosion version of the breath weapon, leaving behind an aura dealing damage to nearby enemies, plus nonlethal to the creature itself. If it were to pass out, it dies, reforming later but taking half it's max hp as lethal damage on top of any it sustained before (reforming if it survives the damage, that is).

So, thoughts on that feature? Ideas for other features? An LA evaluation?

[Tacitus]

Not very good with brew myself, but I'll leave some previous efforts made by brewers to help you alonng.
Magma Creatures: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159410
Made of Magma (Pelemana) Template: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236527

[Xhosant]

Pelemana looks very, very nice! Thanks a ton!

As for the others, didn't pay them too much attention yet, but seeing how they're made by Timotei I'm getting my hopes up!

I'll be sure to fish through both sources for cool stuff, thanks :D

[Veklim]

Thing is, pyroclastic doesn't just refer to volcanic-like tendencies, it's actually a highly specific type of event where burning gas and debris flow down the side of a volcano at truly horrific speeds (in excess of 400mph). I would have thought any template carrying the name to grant some sort of speed bonus

[Xhosant]

I didn't know that! Ok, I'll add ( as an option, maybe) access to an extra-fast fiery charge or such.

[Durazno]

A somewhat corny documentary about the phenomenon, for inspiration! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG_N7eqMWk)

[Xhosant]

Template:

Pyroclastic is an inherited template that can be applied to any Beast, Dragon, Giant, Humanoid, Magical Beast, or Monstrous Humanoid that lack the [cold] subtype or supernatural/extraordinary abilities with that subtype.

Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to outsider and it gains the [earth], [fire], and [native] subtypes. Size is unchanged. Recalculate base attack bonus and saves.

Speed
All speeds are unchanged.

Armor Class
Natural armor improves by +4.

Natural Attack
A creature keeps any natural attacks it possessed, dealing an extra 5 points of fire damage. If it possessed no natural attacks, it can make a touch attack to deal fire damage equal to the slam damage of a creature its size.

Special Attacks
A Pyriclastic creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature. An exception is any breath weapons it may have had, which are replaced by a cone breath dealing half fire and half sonic damage, appropriate for its breath weapon. In addition, pick one of the following attacks:

Pyroclastic Breath: The aforementioned breath, this cannot be chosen if the creature had a breath weapon replaced. Deals fire/sonic damage at cone. Range and power are equal to a dragon's of the creature's CR, rounded down. Usable once per 1d4 rounds. Reflex Save halves that damage.

Conflagration: Emanation centered on (and following) the caster. It's radius is equal to half the cone range of it's would-be Breath Weapon, and the damage is equal to it (Reflex Save half).

After it's used, the caster keeps dealing fire/sonic damage equal to one fourth that (rounded down) in the same area at the start of each turn, but also takes that damage as nonlethal. Should the creature pass out by nonlethal damage while the effect is active, it will take lethal damage equal to half its maximum hitpoints, then disintegrate to reform 1d10 hours later with the remaining hitpoints (assuming it still survives)

Pyroclastic Rush: As a standard action, the creature turns into a cloud of heated, rumbling ash and moves at a high speed. It acts as if affected by Gaseous Form, moves up to twice its speed as part of the standard action, and deals its would-be Breath Weapon damage to any creature or object in its path (reflex save half). Usable once per 1d4 rounds.

Grounding: As a standard action, the creature designates an area within 100ft. of it, of a radius of 20 feet. Fall damage in the area is doubled. Fliers within the area and up to 400 feet above it must make a save (Will if they fly magically, Reflex if they fight physically) every round to descend vertically at twice their speed as their move action (they can't move in any other direction). On a failed save (or if they don't/can't spend their move action as such) they fall, taking appropriate fall damage and suppressing any magical form of flight for a minute.

Usable once per 1d8 rounds. Effect lasts for a minute per HD. Concentric uses of the ability add up their radius but expire at the shortest duration.

Special Qualities
A pyroclastic creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature (excluding fire vulnerability and cold immunity/resistance).

Searing Body: The body of the creature consists of volcanic stone and lava instead of a specific anatomy, making it immune to critical hits. Unarmed attacks, attacks using natural weapons, and unarmed melee touch attacks against it deal 2d6 points of fire damage to the attacker. It has fire resistance 10 and a vulnerability to cold. The fire resistance is suppressedfor 1 round by cold damage.

Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Con +6, Cha +2. Reduce intelligence to 3 if higher.

Skills
A pyroclastic creature gains skill points as an outsider and has skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier) × (HD +3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation—the pyroclastic creature gains outsider skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

Environment
Underground, Warm or Volcanic locations.

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +3 (?)

Alignment
Nonlawful, nongood.

Level Adjustment
Same as base creature +3 (?)