Ultrafilters on $\omega$ Christopher Barney Abstract. We study of filters and ultrafilters on $\omega$ from the prospective of cardinal invariants of the continuum, focusing on the existence and generic existence of certain special ultrafilters. We show that the general existence of Q-points is independent of the cardinal invariants that previously partially categorized it. We sharpen another side of the picture on generic existence with the introduction of the ${\mathcal K}_\sigma$ ultrafilter, getting a new equality of cardinal invariants in the process. We also answer an open question of J\"org Brendle by separating two classes of ultrafilters previously unseparated.