Air increases your TN so it's harder to hit you.
Earth prevents you from receiving a Critical Hit from opportunities or Conditions.
Water allows you to take an additional action.
Fire gives you bonus successes based on Strife.
Void ignores Strife altogether.

None of them are particularly better against another as each has an advantage you might consider in a given circumstance.

Hopefully we get a Daidoji Scout or Harrier.

Hopefully we get a Daidoji Scout or Harrier.

The thing is, Rising Sun isn't even out yet.

For your whine.
 

4th (and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) are only user friendly IF you already know traditional RPG mechanics.  Total newbs won't have that; the hardest sell is the Simulationist-Traditionalist crowd, for whom this edition is almost totally alien. Most true newbs will find it no more difficult than D&D, any classic edition of L5R... usually a cognitive hurdle, then after a little play, sinks in and good to go. Individuals, of course, will vary in tastes, and in capabilities. 
I'm not certain, however, why no-GM should be a problem. It is table heavy, but it's also intended for tabletop FTF play, as well, and clearly intended for GM-centric play, but the only issue is selection of ring, and that's really pretty straightforward if players are honest - both with others and themselves.
The biggest bugaboo will be invoking disads - which, if players are self-honest, shouldn't be any worse than application of negative modifiers from tables , but does entail a second roll. Just establish the table-/forum-rule hierarchy of which is rerolled first EG:  White Explosive, White Succeess & Opportunity, White Explosive & Stife, Black Explosive and Strife, White Success, Black success, white success and strife, black success and strife,... And, if the ring and type match, and you aren't full void, automatic allowed.
Next biggest is knowledge of disads, but, like most storygames, the presumption is pretty well present that player knowledge will not be used unless the character would also know. 
Third biggest I can see is setting TN's for PVP social. For single action, minor effect, Vigilance ±1 as set by the target. For extended, individual rolls TN=Vigilance, RhP = Focus ×½ to ×2 ... ×½ if clearly in line with stated goals or psych lim adversities, distinctions, passions, or aversions, ×2 if clearly opposed, ×1 if both or neither. PVP martial is already fairly well defined. For PVP other, the TN's should be TN 2 default, or the used technique. Then modify as appropriate for stance (if relevant), conditions (mostly TN+1 per each)...
Ignore, for the moment, the massive list of Techniques. Just focus on ring/skill/basic TN. as of Update 3, almost all negative conditions are TN+1. And they stack. Several simply make strife also do damage.  Adding conditions to a scene sounds like a water opportunity spend (in fact, the rules state that said water spend can be used to define things into being, at the GM's option, so in GM-less, it's subject to group veto. 
Doesn't look that hard to implement, other than the mindset change, and the extra post(s) to handle the rerolls.

What do you mean, "How to make L5R RPG Beta friendlier?"
I'm glad you asked, Bob.
A little background on myself: I first learned about the Legend of the Five Rings RPG at Origins Game Fair 2008 when I walked in on the Heroes of Rokugan Living Campaign. It was like Living Grayhawk or Pathfinder Society if that rings a bell and still has a cult following. I later joined Five Rings Online, an online community of L5R RPG players (100+). So, I have a lot of experience with very large games as I have served as a Game Master for both.
There has been a lot of talk around the online water cooler about how the new Beta works great for a home game, but it would fail to work for a large game like Five Rings Online. There is even skepticism on how well it would work for Heroes of Rokugan.
I believe this is all largely due in part to the nature of it being something new. The Beta is unlike anything we have seen before so it defies normal conventions and creates new ways to play the game.
However, I tend to be optimistic at the best of times.
How do you think the Beta can be adapted to accommodate a large scale game? If a Game Master was not present (like in many instances of Five Rings Online outside of scheduled adventures of "scenes") how do you best adjudicate interactions between characters as opposed to Non-Playable Characters? With the adventure provided with the Beta, how well does that work as a scripted adventure? That is the standard for a living campaign like Heroes of Rokugan. I'm trying to learn about how the new system can be adapted to work unless I'm overthinking what it can and cannot do.

Have you seen the last 4th Ed. L5R RPG book, Atlas of Rokugan? I was looking at it an by and far, the world is much larger and rearranged compared to older RPG products.

That's likely showing the uneducated ronin versus a well educated Lion kuge daimyo. The Lion, after all, are students of history.

I mean, if you have 9, is that too many?

My thought process is if you have 9 cards dedicated to canceling events, you have 9 cards that don't accelerate your win condition.

My thought process is if you have 9 cards dedicated to canceling events, you have 9 cards that don't accelerate your win condition.

L5R Risk? I'd buy that.

My thought process is if you have 9 cards dedicated to canceling events, you have 9 cards that don't accelerate your win condition.

I saw the rules and sort of imagined that it discouraged the idea of glancing blows being deciding factors. A duel is determined by a clear and obvious victory. It should be telling, firmly felt, and obvious to all bystanders. As someone who does SCA combat, a lot of blows can roll off of your helmet with the turn of the head or sidestepped to produce only a grazing blow. What you want to feel/see is a blow that there is no shadow beyond a doubt that you just killed your opponent.

I think the 5-cost characters help define a deck's theme. With Isawa Kaede, she supports the shugenja theme for the Phoenix. With Kakita Yoshi, he supports the courtier theme for the Crane. Its quite clear that Tsukune and Kaede fill different roles, as does Hotaru and Yoshi. Alternatively, the new 5-cost characters could support the conflict type the clan otherwise is not focused on but that's doubtful and may be used in a future cycle. So, looking forward, here are some of my ideas for the remaining clans:
Crab: Yasuki Taka
Crab could benefit from something that steers away from their sacrifice theme. I would suggest Taka, who would fill a courtier roll and possibly push a dishonor theme.
Dragon: Mirumoto Masashige
Ideally, Masashige would strengthen the attachment theme for the Dragon which Yokuni does not interact with.
Lion: Matsu Tsuko
While Toturi helps you win MORE in military, I think Tsuko could serve to help you win your military conflicts period.
Scorpion: Bayushi Kachiko
I think the popular vote would be for Bayushi Kachiko. Already, Bayushi Shoju is one of the deadliest characters in the Scorpion's portfolio. What could she do? I'm thinking she could have the Imperial keyword similar to Yoshi and use the Imperial Favor in a new way.
Unicorn: Ide Tadaji
I'm not experienced enough with Unicorn, but I hear they are good politically. Tadaji would serve well to support the political conflict.

Thank god all these angry customers are not business owners. They'd have run their business into the ground already.

Go is a contest.

You know... You can still buy six packs over six months. No one is saying you have to buy everything at once.

You know... You can still buy six packs over six months. No one is saying you have to buy everything at once.

Who said he was drawing a sword? He likely knows some jiujutsu.

This is one of the funniest topics I've seen because the complaint is so ridiculous and stupid. Pack your bags, boys! We can't afford to buy part of the first cycle on day 1, so we're not playing at all! I looked at my budget and $120+ on a card game was a-ok, but an expedited release of the first cycle is going to break the bank even though it's optional. Too bad, I was really looking forward to playing this game!

You know... You can still buy six packs over six months. No one is saying you have to buy everything at once.

****, I used to spend $15/week drafting M:tG. $15/week is a good budget for a hobby.

****, I used to spend $15/week drafting M:tG. $15/week is a good budget for a hobby.