Test driving 4E

[Maquise]

I'm fairly new at roleplaying, but have played and DMed a bit of 3.5 and Pathfinder. I'd like to try out 4th edition, but all of my friends can't stand it, and as far as I'm aware, there isn't an srd for 4th ed.
I'm not sure if I'd like it or not, I just want to try it out. Anyone have any good ideas?

[Sipex]

You can check your library to start, see if they have books you can borrow.

From there? I don't know, I mean, I'm assuming you don't want to buy anything currently. Ask your local game shop or see if anyone you don't know as well is running a game?

[kyoryu]

I'm fairly new at roleplaying, but have played and DMed a bit of 3.5 and Pathfinder. I'd like to try out 4th edition, but all of my friends can't stand it, and as far as I'm aware, there isn't an srd for 4th ed.
I'm not sure if I'd like it or not, I just want to try it out. Anyone have any good ideas?

Get a sub to D&D Insider. $10 a month, you get the whole Compendium.

Go to an Encounters session at your FLGS to get a feel for the rules if you want.

Pick up the Red Box to get Everything You Need to start at a relatively low price.

Any of those should work.

[kieza]

I think there's a "free trial" of sorts on the Wizards of the Coast website. It includes some rules for getting started, and an adventure that you can run. Be warned, though, it's widely known as a difficult adventure.

[Callista]

Uhmmm.... if your friends don't like it, why are you trying it? I mean, I get you want to try it; but wouldn't your first priority be finding a different group who will actually have fun playing it?

[Cealocanth]

If your friends dispise it, then they probably have a reason why. Talk to them to see if they have any books you can borrow or something along those lines. if they hate it as much as it sounds, I would be surprised if they didn't let you borrow their book for a week or two.

[Excession]

I think there's a "free trial" of sorts on the Wizards of the Coast website. It includes some rules for getting started, and an adventure that you can run. Be warned, though, it's widely known as a difficult adventure.

I understand that the version of Keep on the Shadowfell that they put on the web was tweaked to fix the difficulty. The free trial is at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/TryDnD.aspx, scroll down to the "Roleplaying Games" heading.