Second Skins: A Review of the Monsterhearts 2 Supplement
Monsterhearts Second Skins PDF Free: A Guide for Curious Players
If you are a fan of Monsterhearts, the game of teenage monsters and their messy lives, you might have heard of Second Skins. This is a supplement that adds 14 new skins (playable characters) to the game. Each skin has its own unique moves, backstory options, darkest self triggers, sex moves, and more. They offer new ways to explore the themes of identity, sexuality, horror, and drama that Monsterhearts is known for.
monsterhearts second skins pdf free
But what if you don't have access to the official product or you just want to try it out before buying it? Is there a way to download a free pdf of Second Skins? And if so, is it worth it? In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will give you a brief overview of each Second Skin and how they differ from the core skins. We will also compare the first edition and the second edition of Second Skins and review their quality and content. Finally, we will provide some FAQs and a conclusion with a recommendation for you.
A Brief Overview of Each Second Skin
Second Skins introduces 14 new skins to Monsterhearts. Some of them are based on classic monster archetypes (such as vampires or werewolves), while others are more original or obscure (such as selkies or unicorns). Each skin has its own personality traits, motivations, challenges, and abilities that make them stand out from the rest. Here is a quick summary of each skin:
The Cerberus
The Cerberus is vigilant, relentless, judgmental, and perpetually in-between. They are guardians of a threshold between two worlds, trying to keep everyone in their rightful place. They can be loyal friends or ruthless enemies, depending on which side you are on. They have moves that let them track down people, give them conditions, and use their gang for backup.
The Cuckoo
The Cuckoo is charming, manipulative, needy, and parasitic. They are impostors who infiltrate other people's lives and take over their identities. They can be charismatic and fun or dangerous and unstable, depending on their mood. They have moves that let them copy other people's traits, use their strings for leverage, and switch places with someone else.
The Fae
The Fae is whimsical, capricious, curious, and cruel. They are creatures of magic and mischief who live by their own rules and whims. They can be enchanting and playful or malicious and spiteful, depending on their fancy. They have moves that let them make deals with people, use their glamour for illusions, and escape from danger.
The Ghost
The Ghost is lonely, wounded, caring, and creepy. They are spirits of the dead who linger in the world of the living. They can be compassionate and healing or obsessive and haunting, depending on their attachment. They have moves that let them walk through walls, possess people or objects, and see the past or the future.
The Ghoul
The Ghoul is hungry, savage, restless, and loyal. They are undead creatures who feed on flesh and blood. They can be fierce and protective or violent and reckless, depending on their hunger. They have moves that let them heal from harm, smell fear or desire, and unleash their beast.
The Infernal
The Infernal is powerful, tempted, corrupted, and rebellious. They are mortals who made a pact with a dark power in exchange for something they wanted. They can be confident and charismatic or desperate and conflicted, depending on their bargain. They have moves that let them use their dark power for miracles, resist its demands, and rebel against it.
The Mortal
The Mortal is innocent, devoted, fragile, and brave. They are humans who fall in love with a monster and become entangled in their world. They can be sweet and supportive or naive and clingy, depending on their love. They have moves that let them inspire sympathy, give themselves to someone, and stand up for what they believe in.
The Queen
The Queen is popular, commanding, entitled, and vicious. They are leaders of a clique who rule the school with an iron fist. They can be glamorous and influential or cruel and manipulative, depending on their agenda. They have moves that let them use their clique for favors, humiliate someone, and make someone jealous.
The Selkie
The Selkie is adventurous, playful, secretive, and trapped. They are shapeshifters who can turn into seals by wearing a magical coat. They can be free-spirited and fun-loving or restless and unhappy, depending on their coat. They have moves that let them swim fast, charm someone, and steal something.
The Serpentine
The Serpentine is seductive, cunning, ancient, and cold-blooded. They are descendants of a primordial snake who can manipulate people with their gaze. They can be alluring and wise or ruthless and selfish, depending on their heritage. They have moves that let them hypnotize someone, shed their skin, and reveal a secret.
The Unicorn
The Unicorn is pure, magical, naive, and hunted. They are embodiments of goodness and light who can heal wounds and grant wishes. They can be kind and generous or oblivious and stubborn, depending on their purity. They have moves that let them use their horn for miracles, resist corruption, and attract attention.
The Vampire
The Vampire is attractive, immortal, thirsty, and obsessive. They are bloodsuckers who can charm people with their bite. They can be sophisticated and refined or savage and feral, depending on their thirst. They have moves that let them feed on someone, mesmerize someone, and turn someone into a vampire.
The Werewolf
The Werewolf is primal, protective, fierce, and pack-oriented. They are shapechangers who can turn into wolves by the light of the moon. They can be loyal and courageous or aggressive and territorial, depending on their pack. They have moves that let them mark their territory, smell emotions, and transform into a wolf.
The Witch
The Witch is crafty, hexing, vengeful, and misunderstood. They are practitioners of magic who can cast spells with tokens. They can be clever or spiteful and bitter, depending on their tokens. They have moves that let them collect tokens, cast hexes, and reveal their true nature.
A Comparison of the First Edition and the Second Edition of Second Skins
Second Skins was originally released as a supplement for the first edition of Monsterhearts in 2013. It contained 12 skins: the Cerberus, the Cuckoo, the Fae, the Ghost, the Ghoul, the Infernal, the Mortal, the Queen, the Selkie, the Serpentine, the Vampire, and the Werewolf. The Witch was added later as a bonus skin.
In 2017, Monsterhearts 2 was released as a revised and updated version of the core game. It included some changes and improvements to the rules, such as adding Strings as a currency, simplifying Conditions, and adding Backstory questions. It also replaced some of the core skins with new ones: the Chosen, the Fae, the Hollow, and the Serpentine replaced the Angel, the Fae, the Ghoul, and the Werewolf respectively.
In 2019, Second Skins 2 was released as a revised and updated version of the supplement for Monsterhearts 2. It included some changes and improvements to the skins, such as adding Backstory questions, revising some moves and triggers, and adding new options and examples. It also added two new skins: the Unicorn and the Witch (which was previously a bonus skin).
The main differences between the first edition and the second edition of Second Skins are:
- The second edition is compatible with Monsterhearts 2 and its rules changes. - The second edition has more skins (14 instead of 12) and more options for each skin. - The second edition has more diversity and representation in terms of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and culture. - The second edition has more clarity and consistency in terms of wording, formatting, and design. A Review of the Quality and the Content of Second Skins
Second Skins is a high-quality supplement that adds a lot of value to Monsterhearts. It offers a variety of skins that cater to different tastes and preferences. Whether you want to play a classic monster archetype or a more original or obscure one, you will find something that suits you. Each skin has its own flavor and style that makes it distinct from the others. They also have their own strengths and weaknesses that create interesting opportunities and challenges for roleplaying.
Second Skins also enhances the Monsterhearts experience by exploring new themes and dynamics. Each skin has its own perspective and agenda that can clash or align with those of other characters. They can create new conflicts or alliances, new secrets or revelations, new tensions or attractions. They can also deepen the existing themes of Monsterhearts, such as identity, sexuality, horror, and drama. They can make you question who you are, what you want, what you fear, and what you are willing to do.
The only possible drawback of Second Skins is that it might overwhelm some players or MCs with too many options or too much information. Some skins might be more complex or challenging to play than others. Some skins might also require more research or preparation to portray them accurately or respectfully. However, these issues can be easily solved by choosing the skins that appeal to you most, reading them carefully before playing them, asking for help or feedback from others if needed, and being open-minded and respectful towards different cultures and identities.
Conclusion
Second Skins is a great supplement for Monsterhearts that adds 14 new skins to the game. Each skin has its own unique moves, backstory options, darkest self triggers, sex moves, and more. They offer new ways to explore the themes of identity, sexuality, horror, and drama that Monsterhearts is known for.
If you want to download a free pdf of Second Skins, you can find it online on various websites or forums. However, we recommend that you support the creator by buying the official product on their website or on DriveThruRPG. You will get a high-quality pdf with beautiful artwork and layout and you will also help them create more awesome games in the future.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your copy of Second Skins today and unleash your inner monster!
FAQs
Where can I find a free pdf of Second Skins?
There are some websites or forums that offer a free pdf of Second Skins, such as Reddit or 4chan. However, these are not authorized or legal sources and they might contain viruses or malware. We advise you to be careful and cautious when downloading files from these sources.
How can I use Second Skins in my Monsterhearts game?
You can use Second Skins in your Monsterhearts game by choosing one of the skins as your character or by introducing one of the skins as an NPC. You can also mix and match skins from the core game and the supplement or create your own custom skins based on the examples and guidelines provided.
What are some tips and tricks for playing with Second Skins?
Some tips and tricks for playing with Second Skins are:
- Read the skin description and moves carefully before playing it and ask the MC or other players for clarification if needed. - Think about your character's backstory, personality, motivations, and goals and how they relate to their skin and its moves. - Use your skin's moves to create interesting situations, complications, or opportunities for yourself or others. - Be respectful and sensitive towards other cultures and identities that might be represented by your skin or other skins. - Have fun and enjoy the game! Are there any other supplements or resources for Monsterhearts?
Yes, there are. Some of them are:
- Monsterhearts 2: The core game that contains the rules, the setting, and 8 core skins. - The Hollow: A bonus skin for Monsterhearts 2 that is available for free on the creator's website. - The Skin Deep: A fan-made supplement that contains 12 new skins for Monsterhearts 2. - The Monsterhearts Reference Sheets: A collection of reference sheets for Monsterhearts 2 that includes all the core skins, the second skins, the hollow, and some custom skins. - The Monsterhearts Podcast: A podcast that features actual play sessions of Monsterhearts 2 with different groups and settings. How can I create my own skin for Monsterhearts?
You can create your own skin for Monsterhearts by following these steps:
- Choose a monster archetype that inspires you or interests you. - Think about what makes this monster unique, appealing, or scary and what themes or issues it might explore or represent. - Write a brief description of the skin that includes its name, look, identity, and tagline. - Write four backstory questions that help establish the character's background, relationships, secrets, and strings. - Write four moves that reflect the character's abilities, powers, weaknesses, or quirks. - Write a darkest self trigger and description that show what happens when the character loses control or embraces their monster nature. - Write a sex move that shows what happens when the character has sex with someone. - Test your skin by playing it in a game or asking for feedback from others. 71b2f0854b