One last update...
I decided to add the Elven Krobus sprites/portraits of my choice to another portrait mod (specifically the slightly cuter seasonal cutemod, but I think it would work with other ones the same way) and it FINALLY works. When he turns around his head is slightly cut in half due to the sprite size difference, but when he is standing forward I see his head/face normally so I'll take it and just tell myself he's a mystical shadow being that might look glitchy due to his power lol.
ok LAST final final update: I readded Standardized Krobus to see if it would work...and IT WORKS!!! So freaking excited! :)