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Hotfix 0.2b:
Take into account that Table.heroes can ONLY be read if packed on a .h4r, and not as a standalone .h4d - I learned this the hard way.
THis is fixed in the "option three" for instant use, in the rest you build it yourself with this information as intended.

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Over 70 Hero-Creature files, ready-to-use (actually they are 73 of 74 original total, but I don't even know which one I missed. Tell me ... plus there are other custom ones besides them (on the Super Special folder)

To use Full Creature files:

There are three main options:

Option 1- Replace Creatures for Full
Option 2- Make Hero Creature
Option 3- Use Automatic Files (easiest)
Go way down this file for Option 3

- Option 1: Replace creatures for full
How? --> Just use the file as provided, include in .h4r file or place it on /data changing the extension to h4d
What does it do? ----> Quite simply, it allows creatures to shoot or cast spells with duplicated or unused animations. Normally creatures can't do that because of missing anims on their sprite files. You can also change creature graphics with this without bugs (change name)
This feature is most useful for modders which want to change which creatures are ranged or spellcasting. Now they can!

- Option 2: Make Hero Creatures
How? --> Change the name of the file by adding .hero, for example "combat_actor.sprite.spr" becomes "combat_actor.hero.sprite.spr"
--> Also use the adv_actor, otherwise it would be missing, as they require the same reference name (In this, "adv_actor.hero.sprite.spr")
---> Add the name, in the example "sprite" to the table.heroes entry of the hero you want to change. Put it as his picture/model, just as in campaign heroes (you can find them at the bottom)
And then... -> Do the same as in Option 1, place then in .h4r or change them into .h4d and put them in /Data

You have your Hero Creature!

The adv_actor aren't generally changed, they are just included for convenience so you don't need to extract them yourselves.
Almost all creatures are included.
You can also change creature aspects to hero aspects, but these don't need any editing as their animations are already full.

Check out the special portraits file to make your hero's faces to look as you want: http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=10018&pagenumber=2

I have included both the original and Greatest Mod 008 *Hero table* for editing convenience, as well as bundled the Textedit program for this purpose
(do NOT edit table files with Notepad, EVER, it will corrupt them permanently!)

Download the full Greatest Mod for here if you so wish: http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=42758

I have included a "test-ready" version of Hero Creatures "mod".

This is...
OPTION 3:
Just copy the whole Data folder content into your Heroes 4/Data
Nothing, none of your files, will be overwritten, so don't worry for backups.
Heroes based on a creature will now look as that creature...
For example, Genie heros like Solmyr will actually look like Genies.
Example creatures that heroes actually are ingame (not just portrait and backstory):
Efreet-Genie-Orc-Ogre-Skeleton-Lich-Vampire-Minotaur-Halfling-Dwarf-Sprite-Elf-Zombie-Crusader-Devil
You can modify this at will or simply delete it when you no longer want it.
If you delete just the adventure version without deleting the combat versions, they will look like a normal hero in adventure map but retake their Creature appearance during combat.

In the future I hope maps with minimods can make full use of the Hero-Creatures system with such Data bundles.

Cheers!

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General infinite possibilities and novelties:

- You can have any creature as a hero graphic!
- Use creatures as leaders of their kind or traitors!

- Heroes are fully customizable and you can gove them any abilities, spells, levels or artifact! Choose your ally, character or boss as a creature-hero! Make great storylines like a dwarf hero freeing his people! (Hey, that one's mine )
- Creature-heroes are perfect as sidekicks! Get that WoG "Commander" vibe going as your main hero has a buffed up magic-reflecting Golem bodyguard, or watch gleefully as your poisonous pet Behemoth trashes the enemy!

- You can change the footprint (combat size) on the grid, independently! It's a way to make way larger or smaller heroes. Tactical and flavorific!
- Also the height of hover indicator!

- You can differentiate the way they animate, making them stand out from other creatures! Make them "stand" or "idle" in a special animation, or maybe you want them to have special spell and attack anims? You can!

- Make Hybrid heroes which combine different creature and hero anims!

- The HP and Mana Gauge are always over their head instead of stack number... You cannot confuse them, even if on the same army or in combat!

- With Equilibris Facetool, you can change hero portraits so they match the chosen kind of creature! Get a wolf from the internet and make it a portrait for your wolf hero! Or use your own dog's photo, so he can accompany you ingame!

Limitations:

- There can be Only One: Each Hero Creature can only appear once in a map. If not, they will start using the default class appearance. Even if you place many "Theodorus the Titan", just one of them will look like the Titan. Use sparingly... to destroy that limitation, you could change an entire default class to be hero-creatures

- Hero creatures use the sounds of their original hero class.
... This may be weird when you hear a Naga at adventure map on full gallop!
Choose carefully the class - if you use a creature which attacks with swords, use a class that does.

- Projectile seems hardcoded depending on the type of hero (might or magic) as well, so take that into account.

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