The War Within doesn’t just introduce a new continent to fight over, it introduces a new way to think about race choice. Earthen aren’t cosmetic flavor picks or lore-only novelties; they are mechanically opinionated, deliberately tuned to reward certain playstyles while punishing others. If you’re planning to main one, your class choice will matter more here than it has for most modern races.
At a glance, Earthen feel like Blizzard finally leaning back into old-school racial identity. These are Titans’ constructs given autonomy, built for endurance, pressure, and inevitability rather than bursty hero moments. That design philosophy bleeds directly into their racials and quietly reshapes how they perform in leveling, raids, Mythic+, and PvP.
Racial Toolkit Philosophy: Power Through Persistence
Earthen racials are not about flashy procs or RNG dopamine hits. They are about consistency, uptime, and reducing friction in long-form combat. Most of their power is either passive or predictable, which immediately favors specs that scale with sustained throughput rather than cooldown stacking.
You’re looking at racials that reward staying alive, staying in combat, and staying efficient. That means specs with natural tankiness, steady resource generation, or long damage windows extract far more value than glass-cannon builds that live and die on burst cycles. In practical terms, Earthen racials tend to smooth mistakes rather than enable hero plays.
Fantasy Alignment: Built to Endure, Not Improvise
From a fantasy standpoint, Earthen are not agile tricksters or arcane savants. They are living stone, forged for purpose, and that matters when evaluating class fit. Classes that already lean into inevitability, attrition, and battlefield control feel immediately “right” on an Earthen, both mechanically and aesthetically.
This isn’t just roleplay flavor. Animations, hitbox feel, and combat pacing all reinforce the idea that Earthen excel when holding ground, trading blows, or slowly crushing opposition. Classes that rely on constant movement tech, animation canceling, or tight mobility windows can feel subtly misaligned, even when the raw numbers look acceptable.
Design Intent in The War Within Meta
Blizzard’s intent with Earthen is clear when you place them in The War Within’s broader design goals. This expansion emphasizes longer encounters, sustained dungeon pulls, and raid fights where survival and consistency matter just as much as peak DPS. Earthen racials slot directly into that ecosystem.
That also means Earthen expose class weaknesses more harshly. Specs that already struggle with mobility, burst windows, or PvP pressure don’t get patched over by the racial kit. Instead, the race amplifies what the class already does well or poorly, making Earthen one of the most honest race choices in years.
This is why ranking Earthen classes isn’t about raw DPS sims alone. It’s about understanding which classes align with a race designed to outlast, outvalue, and outpressure opponents across leveling, PvE endgame, and PvP without relying on gimmicks or high-roll moments.
Evaluation Criteria: How Earthen Racials Impact Class Performance (PvE, PvP, and Leveling Weighting)
To properly rank Earthen classes, you have to stop thinking in terms of raw throughput and start thinking in terms of value extraction. Earthen racials don’t spike your damage or save you with flashy resets. They reward classes that stay upright, stay connected to targets, and convert sustained uptime into wins.
This section breaks down exactly how those racials are weighted across PvE, PvP, and leveling, and why some specs climb the tier list while others quietly fall behind despite solid sims.
Core Racial Themes That Matter for Class Synergy
Earthen racials revolve around three pillars: durability, sustain, and controlled power windows. You get tools that reduce attrition, smooth incoming damage, and provide a predictable active burst that scales with staying alive rather than executing perfectly. There’s very little RNG baked in.
Classes that already function well under pressure amplify these traits. Classes that depend on mobility chains, reset fishing, or short-lived burst phases often struggle to fully capitalize, especially in longer fights.
PvE Weighting: Raids and Mythic+
PvE is the heaviest weighted category when evaluating Earthen, because this is where their racials are most consistently active. Long raid encounters and extended Mythic+ pulls align perfectly with sustained defensive value and reliable off-healing or damage channels.
Tank and bruiser-style DPS specs benefit disproportionately here. If a class already wants to stand its ground and trade cooldowns over time, Earthen racials translate directly into healer mana savings and smoother pull pacing. Specs that rely on short burst windows see diminishing returns once those racials are on cooldown.
Mythic+ Specific Considerations
In Mythic+, Earthen racials shine during messy pulls and progression keys. Extra sustain, passive mitigation, and predictable actives help stabilize runs when kicks are missed or damage overlaps stack up. This is especially valuable in The War Within’s dungeon design, which favors endurance over speedrunning one-packs.
Classes with strong cleave uptime and defensive layering rise sharply here. Fragile specs that rely on perfect routing or frequent resets feel more punishing on Earthen when mistakes happen.
PvP Weighting: Rated Arenas and Battlegrounds
PvP is weighted slightly lower overall, but it’s where Earthen expose class weaknesses the fastest. The racials favor extended fights and attrition-based pressure rather than sudden kill setups. If your spec wins by overwhelming opponents over time, Earthen feels excellent.
Burst-dependent specs that need tight crowd control chains don’t gain much. The active racial is telegraphed and punishable in high-rated play, so classes that can protect or naturally weave it into combat rotations get far more value than those that have to hard-commit to it.
Leveling and Solo Content Weighting
Leveling is where Earthen feel almost unfairly strong, but that strength scales differently by class. Sustain-heavy racials dramatically reduce downtime, making steady, low-risk specs feel incredibly efficient from zone to zone. You pull more, rest less, and recover faster from mistakes.
Classes that already level smoothly become monsters, while specs that rely on cooldown stacking or positional gameplay don’t see the same quality-of-life jump. This matters for players planning Earthen mains from day one of The War Within.
Why Weighting Matters More Than Raw Power
A class can perform well on paper and still be a poor Earthen fit if it doesn’t align with how the racials want to be used. The race doesn’t carry weaknesses or create new win conditions. It reinforces what’s already there.
That’s why this tier list prioritizes consistency across all three pillars rather than peak performance in one mode. Earthen reward players who value stability, control, and long-term pressure, and the classes that rise to the top reflect that philosophy clearly.
S-Tier Classes for Earthen: Best-in-Slot Synergies and Meta-Defining Picks
With the weighting clarified, the S-tier isn’t about flashy damage spikes or niche tricks. These classes naturally amplify what Earthen racials already do well: sustain, control, and long-form combat value. They feel powerful in leveling, scale cleanly into Mythic+ and raids, and don’t fall apart when PvP matches drag past the opener.
Protection and Retribution Paladin
Paladin sits at the top because Earthen racials plug directly into its biggest strength: layered durability without sacrificing pressure. The defensive racial effects stack cleanly with plate armor, shields, and Paladin cooldowns, letting you stabilize pulls that would delete other specs. In Mythic+, this translates to safer routes and fewer wipes when things go sideways.
Retribution benefits just as much, especially in sustained cleave scenarios. Earthen racials reward uptime and consistency, and Ret’s modern kit thrives when it can stay planted and cycle cooldowns without panic. In PvP, longer fights favor Ret’s sustained pressure and self-healing, turning Earthen into a frustratingly resilient win condition.
Blood and Unholy Death Knight
Death Knight might be the most natural Earthen pairing in the entire game. Blood DK becomes absurdly stable, with racials reinforcing an already self-sufficient tank that thrives in prolonged combat. You’re not racing the healer or the dungeon timer; you’re slowly grinding encounters into submission.
Unholy shines for similar reasons. Its damage profile ramps and persists, which aligns perfectly with Earthen’s attrition-focused bonuses. In PvP, Unholy DK benefits from the racial sustain while applying constant rot pressure, forcing opponents into bad trades rather than clean kill windows.
Elemental and Enhancement Shaman
Shaman’s hybrid toolkit scales incredibly well with Earthen’s design philosophy. Elemental gains extra breathing room to set up casts and maintain uptime, which matters more in The War Within’s endurance-heavy dungeon pacing. The racials help smooth out Elemental’s traditionally spiky survivability, especially during unavoidable damage windows.
Enhancement, meanwhile, turns into a brawler. Between self-healing, damage reduction tools, and Earthen sustain, it thrives in scrappy, extended fights where other melee start bleeding out. In PvP, Enhancement Earthen excel at outlasting opponents rather than gambling on perfect burst alignment.
Warrior (Protection and Arms)
Warrior doesn’t look flashy on paper, but Earthen elevate it into a meta-defining consistency pick. Protection Warrior benefits massively from any additional sustain, reinforcing its identity as a tank that controls space and tempo rather than brute-forcing damage intake. This is especially valuable in Mythic+ pulls that test healer mana more than raw HPS.
Arms Warrior thrives in long engagements where pressure matters more than one-shot potential. Earthen racials complement Arms’ sustained damage profile and natural tankiness, making it harder to punish positioning mistakes. In battlegrounds and extended arena games, Arms Earthen feel relentlessly difficult to put down.
Why These Classes Define the Earthen Meta
What unites every S-tier pick is how little effort it takes to extract full value from the racials. These classes don’t need to stop DPS, break rotation flow, or overcommit defensively to benefit. The racials feel passive, seamless, and constantly relevant.
That ease of use matters as much as raw output. Earthen reward players who stay alive, stay active, and keep pressure rolling, and these classes do exactly that across leveling, PvE endgame, and PvP without asking for perfect execution.
A-Tier Classes for Earthen: Strong Performers with Minor Tradeoffs
Just below the S-tier sit classes that still capitalize on Earthen racials extremely well, but require slightly more intentional play or accept small efficiency gaps. These specs don’t waste the racial power budget, yet they don’t extract value as effortlessly as the top picks. For many players, especially those planning long-term mains, A-tier is where comfort, flexibility, and raw effectiveness intersect.
Death Knight (Blood and Unholy)
Death Knights feel almost purpose-built for Earthen, but their reliance on controlled pacing keeps them just shy of S-tier. Blood DK becomes even harder to dislodge, stacking Earthen sustain on top of already absurd self-healing and damage smoothing. In Mythic+, this translates into tanks that survive mistakes but still demand smart cooldown sequencing to avoid healer strain.
Unholy thrives in extended encounters where uptime matters more than burst precision. Earthen racials help offset Unholy’s slower recovery after misplays, especially during movement-heavy raid mechanics. The tradeoff is tempo: Unholy still struggles when fights demand frequent target swaps or rapid burst windows.
Hunter (Beast Mastery and Survival)
Hunters love Earthen defensively, but their natural range and mobility mean they don’t always need the extra safety net. Beast Mastery benefits most during leveling and solo play, where Earthen sustain allows aggressive pulls without downtime. In endgame PvE, the racial impact is more about mistake forgiveness than throughput gains.
Survival Hunter leans harder into the brawler identity, making better use of Earthen durability in close-range combat. In PvP, this combination shines during drawn-out skirmishes where traps, pressure, and survival matter more than raw burst. The downside is that neither spec converts Earthen racials directly into more damage, keeping them just below elite status.
Paladin (Retribution and Holy)
Paladin kits already blur the line between offense and defense, and Earthen reinforce that identity. Retribution gains extra stability during cooldown downtime, making it harder to punish once wings fall off. This is especially noticeable in battlegrounds and sustained PvE fights where Ret’s natural tankiness compounds over time.
Holy Paladin appreciates the added personal survivability, particularly in high-key Mythic+ where healer deaths often end runs. However, Paladins already bring strong defensives, so the racial impact feels additive rather than transformative. You’re safer, not fundamentally stronger.
Mage (Frost and Arcane)
Mage is the classic example of a powerful class that doesn’t fully align with Earthen’s strengths. Frost benefits the most, using the extra durability to survive moments when I-frames are unavailable or forced early. In progression raiding, that safety margin can be the difference between learning a mechanic and dying to it.
Arcane enjoys the survivability during burn-phase vulnerability, but Earthen racials don’t solve Arcane’s core issue of mobility and ramp dependency. In PvP, Mage still lives or dies by positioning and cooldown discipline. Earthen help cover mistakes, not redefine the matchup.
Warlock (Affliction and Demonology)
Warlocks already play the long game, which makes Earthen a natural fit on paper. Affliction especially enjoys the endurance boost, excelling in fights where sustained pressure and survival trump burst. Earthen racials make it harder for enemies to capitalize on Warlock immobility windows.
Demonology benefits more defensively than offensively, as its damage profile remains cooldown-centric. In PvP, Earthen Warlocks are frustratingly hard to kill but still vulnerable to coordinated crowd control. The synergy is real, just not explosive enough to break into S-tier.
Why A-Tier Still Matters for Earthen Mains
A-tier classes reward players who actively leverage Earthen racials rather than passively benefiting from them. Positioning, cooldown timing, and encounter knowledge amplify the value here more than raw class design. For players who enjoy mastering nuance, these specs offer immense payoff without the pressure of chasing perfect meta alignment.
B-Tier Classes for Earthen: Viable but Suboptimal Synergy Choices
Dropping into B-tier doesn’t mean these classes are bad for Earthen; it means the racial kit isn’t doing enough heavy lifting to meaningfully change how the class performs. You’ll feel sturdier and more forgiving in mistakes, but the core gameplay loop remains mostly unchanged. For players prioritizing flavor, role comfort, or long-term mains, these are still perfectly serviceable picks.
Hunter (Beast Mastery and Marksmanship)
Hunter sits firmly in B-tier because Earthen racials don’t interact with the class’s biggest strengths: range control and pet utility. Beast Mastery gains some value from added personal durability in Mythic+, especially during unavoidable AoE where pets can’t soak mechanics for you. That said, Hunters already rely on mobility and disengage tools to stay alive, making Earthen feel redundant rather than synergistic.
Marksmanship benefits even less, as its damage profile rewards positioning and burst windows over sustained survival. In PvP, Earthen Hunter is harder to kill during stuns or failed kites, but it doesn’t fix the spec’s vulnerability to coordinated gap closers. You’re safer, but your win conditions don’t change.
Rogue (Outlaw and Assassination)
Rogues are a strange fit for Earthen because they already avoid damage through control, stealth, and I-frames rather than mitigation. Assassination appreciates the extra padding during rot-heavy encounters where bleed uptime forces longer exposure, especially in raid fights with persistent damage. Still, the racial doesn’t enhance energy flow, poison scaling, or execute pressure.
Outlaw, meanwhile, thrives on momentum and RNG burst windows, neither of which benefit meaningfully from Earthen passives. In PvP, the added tankiness helps during extended brawls, but Rogue still lives or dies by cooldown trading and reset potential. Earthen makes mistakes less punishing, not plays more lethal.
Shaman (Elemental and Enhancement)
Shaman’s B-tier placement comes from a mismatch between Earthen endurance and Shaman’s feast-or-famine toolkit. Elemental gains survivability during turret-style casting, particularly in raids where movement is limited and damage is predictable. Unfortunately, Earthen doesn’t solve Elemental’s mobility tax or its reliance on setup-heavy burst.
Enhancement enjoys the extra durability in melee scrums, especially in Mythic+ where unavoidable damage stacks quickly. However, Shaman defensives remain cooldown-dependent, and Earthen racials don’t smooth out the spec’s volatility. In PvP, you last longer, but you’re still highly punishable when tools are down.
Monk (Windwalker)
Windwalker Monk lands in B-tier because its defensive profile already leans on avoidance, mobility, and stagger-like mitigation rather than raw toughness. Earthen racials add a layer of forgiveness during high-risk damage windows, particularly in raid encounters with overlapping mechanics. The problem is that Windwalker’s success hinges on uptime and execution, not durability.
In Mythic+, Earthen helps Windwalker survive mistakes during large pulls, but it doesn’t enhance AoE scaling or cooldown cadence. PvP sees similar results: slightly harder to kill, but still reliant on precise cooldown usage and positioning. The racial supports the spec without elevating it.
Who Should Consider B-Tier Earthen Classes
B-tier is ideal for players who value consistency and survivability but aren’t chasing top-end optimization. These classes perform well across leveling, feel comfortable in endgame PvE, and remain competitive in PvP with proper play. Just don’t expect Earthen racials to redefine your power curve; they’ll steady it, not spike it.
C-Tier Classes for Earthen: Poor Racial Alignment and Noticeable Performance Gaps
After B-tier’s “mostly fine but unspectacular” synergies, C-tier is where the cracks become obvious. These classes function, they clear content, and skilled players can absolutely succeed with them. The issue is that Earthen racials rarely interact with what these specs actually care about, creating dead power and missed optimization across PvE and PvP.
Mage (All Specs)
Mage sits firmly in C-tier because Earthen durability runs counter to how Mage survives content. Fire, Frost, and Arcane all rely on shields, I-frames, and movement-based damage avoidance rather than raw health or mitigation. Earthen racials don’t meaningfully improve uptime, burst windows, or mana efficiency, which are the real Mage bottlenecks.
In raids, extra toughness is largely redundant when mechanics are designed around immunities like Ice Block and Alter Time resets. Mythic+ tells a similar story: survivability wasn’t the problem, mobility and sustained AoE pressure were. PvP is the worst fit, where Mage lives and dies by positioning and control, not by how long it can face-tank damage.
Hunter (Beast Mastery and Marksmanship)
Hunter’s C-tier placement comes from anti-synergy rather than weakness. Beast Mastery already has pet tanking, ranged safety, and self-sustain baked in, making Earthen racials feel unnecessary during leveling and PvE. Marksmanship gains slightly more value due to its squishier profile, but the racial still doesn’t fix MM’s vulnerability when caught without Disengage.
In Mythic+, Hunters want damage consistency and movement freedom, not extra personal durability. Earthen doesn’t boost pet scaling, focus economy, or AoE ramp, which are the specs’ real performance levers. PvP sees minimal benefit as well; Hunters die when they’re locked down, not because they ran out of health.
Demon Hunter (Havoc)
Havoc Demon Hunter is a rare case where a strong spec still lands in C-tier due to redundancy. Havoc already stacks leech, mobility, and damage-driven survivability, leaving very little room for Earthen racials to add value. You become slightly harder to kill during downtime, but downtime is exactly what Havoc tries to avoid.
In raids and Mythic+, performance is dictated by uptime, movement optimization, and cooldown alignment. Earthen doesn’t improve any of those. PvP follows the same logic: Havoc survives by overwhelming pressure and constant motion, not by standing its ground and soaking hits.
Priest (Shadow and Holy)
Priest struggles in C-tier because Earthen racials don’t address its core weaknesses. Shadow benefits marginally from extra durability during ramp, but the racial doesn’t reduce setup time or improve burst reliability. Holy gains survivability, but healer performance is far more tied to throughput tools and mana efficiency.
In Mythic+, Shadow still suffers when forced to move or swap targets, and Earthen does nothing to smooth that friction. PvP highlights the mismatch even more; Priests need control and peel to survive, not a thicker health bar. Earthen makes deaths slower, not less frequent.
Who Should Avoid C-Tier Earthen Classes
C-tier is where optimization-minded players should think twice before locking in an Earthen main. These specs don’t collapse with the race choice, but they leave measurable power on the table compared to better-aligned classes. If you’re chasing clean synergy across leveling, endgame PvE, and PvP, this is where Earthen starts to feel like a cosmetic choice instead of a mechanical one.
Role-Based Breakdown: Tanks, Healers, and DPS – Where Earthen Truly Shine
Stepping back from individual class tiers, the real clarity comes when you evaluate Earthen through a role-based lens. Their racials aren’t universally strong; they’re highly directional. Some roles convert Earthen’s durability, self-sustain, and positional strength into real throughput and consistency, while others barely notice they’re there.
Tanks: Earthen’s Cleanest Win Condition
If you’re planning to tank as an Earthen, you’re playing to the race’s strongest identity. Extra durability, passive sustain, and reduced reliance on external healing all translate directly into smoother damage intake. Tanks don’t care about flashy burst racials; they care about surviving healer globals and stabilizing after spikes, which is exactly where Earthen excels.
In Mythic+, Earthen tanks feel especially strong during high-key trash pulls where healer attention is split. You buy your group time, reduce panic healing, and make mistakes less lethal. Raid tanking benefits too, particularly on progression where predictable survivability is king and deaths wipe pulls.
PvP tank specs and flag carriers also gain value here. Earthen racials don’t replace cooldowns, but they stretch them, making you harder to dislodge when holding objectives or anchoring fights.
Healers: Quiet Power, Not Throughput
Earthen healers don’t suddenly pump harder, and that’s the key distinction. The value comes from personal survivability and reduced self-healing tax, which frees globals for the group. In high Mythic+ keys, staying alive without burning defensives early is often the difference between a clean run and a brick.
Specs that already juggle positioning and cast commitment benefit the most. Earthen lets you eat a mechanic, stabilize yourself passively, and keep healing without panic. It’s not exciting, but it’s incredibly efficient over long pulls and extended boss fights.
In PvP, Earthen healers become harder to punish in short windows. You’re still vulnerable to coordinated crowd control, but random pressure and rot comps struggle to finish you without full setups. It’s a survivability gain that rewards awareness rather than aggression.
DPS: Spec-Dependent, Not Role-Defining
This is where players need to be honest with their expectations. Earthen DPS gains are uneven, and many specs will feel almost unchanged. If your damage profile is burst-driven, mobility-reliant, or pet-centric, the racials won’t move the needle much.
Sustained DPS specs with ramp, positional uptime, or defensive gaps see the most benefit. Extra survivability means fewer defensive globals, fewer deaths to unavoidable damage, and more consistent uptime over the course of a fight. That consistency matters in progression raiding and high keys, even if sims barely show it.
In PvP, Earthen DPS shines most in dampening scenarios and objective-based modes. You’re harder to force out of the fight, but you won’t suddenly win trades you were losing before. Think longevity and pressure, not kill windows.
Leveling and Solo Play: An Underrated Advantage
Outside of pure endgame metrics, Earthen feels excellent while leveling and doing solo content. Passive sustain reduces downtime, elites are safer to engage, and mistakes are less punishing. For players planning to main an Earthen from day one of The War Within, this quality-of-life edge adds up quickly.
World content, Delves, and solo objectives reward races that minimize risk rather than maximize burst. Earthen fits that mold perfectly, especially for tank and healer specs that already thrive in self-sufficient environments.
Choosing Earthen by Role, Not Hype
The takeaway isn’t that Earthen is universally optimal, but that it’s predictably strong in the right hands. Tanks gain real power, healers gain breathing room, and DPS gain situational consistency. If your role values stability, error correction, and sustained presence over explosive moments, Earthen delivers exactly what it promises.
Final Recommendations: Best Earthen Mains, Trap Picks to Avoid, and Future Balance Considerations
With the strengths and limits of Earthen now clear, the final step is translating theory into confident character choices. This race rewards players who value stability, uptime, and defensive efficiency over flashy burst. If that mindset matches how you approach The War Within, Earthen can be one of the most satisfying long-term mains in the expansion.
Best Earthen Mains: Where the Racials Actually Matter
Protection Warrior, Blood Death Knight, and Guardian Druid sit at the top for Earthen tanks. These specs convert passive damage reduction and sustain directly into smoother pulls, fewer panic buttons, and safer high-key routing. In progression raiding and Mythic+, this translates to more aggressive play with less risk, which is exactly what tanks want.
For healers, Restoration Shaman and Holy Paladin stand out. Both benefit from being harder to kill during heavy rot damage, freeing globals for throughput instead of self-preservation. Earthen racials quietly reduce healer stress, which becomes increasingly valuable as encounters stretch longer and mistakes compound.
On the DPS side, sustained specs like Shadow Priest, Affliction Warlock, and Balance Druid gain the most. These classes thrive on uptime and survival, and Earthen passives help them stay planted through unavoidable damage. You won’t top burst meters because of your race, but you’ll die less and finish more pulls standing.
Trap Picks to Avoid: Where Earthen Feels Wasted
Highly mobile, burst-centric specs like Havoc Demon Hunter and Subtlety Rogue see minimal gains. These classes already rely on I-frames, resets, and movement to survive, making Earthen’s durability redundant. You’re paying an opportunity cost without changing how the spec actually plays.
Pet-heavy specs such as Beast Mastery Hunter also struggle to capitalize. When a large portion of your damage and survivability comes from pets or range control, racial tankiness doesn’t meaningfully shift outcomes. You’ll feel sturdy, but not stronger where it counts.
In PvP, glass-cannon builds that rely on short kill windows often underperform as Earthen. If your win condition is overwhelming pressure in the first 20 seconds, the racials won’t help you secure that edge. Earthen shines in drawn-out fights, not coin-flip openers.
Future Balance Considerations: Why Earthen Is a Safe Long-Term Bet
One of Earthen’s biggest advantages is how patch-resistant it is. Passive survivability rarely gets nerfed, and even when tuning shifts damage profiles, staying alive longer is never out of meta. As encounters become more complex later in the expansion, consistency tends to outperform raw output.
If Blizzard increases environmental damage, attrition mechanics, or sustained pressure in PvP, Earthen only gets better. The race scales with player awareness and encounter difficulty, not with temporary tuning spikes. That makes it an excellent choice for players planning to stick with one main all expansion.
The final recommendation is simple. Choose Earthen if you value reliability, progression strength, and fewer deaths over highlight-reel moments. In The War Within, the players still standing at the end of the fight are often the ones who mattered most.