Remote URLs as Avatar

Well, I was wondering if there was a safer way to make the avatar use a URL, short of modifying the core files (what I did).

http://unlockedpotential.net

You'll notice that the avatar is showing up as my character's avatar; it is pulled from the world of warcraft armory API using the Character Name and Character Realm that users are required to enter when they register, which is used to generate a link to the avatar itself, eg: http://us.battle.net/static-render/us/draktharon/193/81759425-avatar.jpg.

I mean, I have it working at this point so that it pulls up the users avatar if it got a proper return from the armory, and displays the 'no avatar avatar' otherwise, but this also means I won't really be able to update my phpFusion without having to modify everything again...