Familiars were introduced in the Arcane Power supplement. This article expands the selection of familiars and debuts the familiar master paragon path. You can choose a familiar for purely mechanical purposes (to gain the skill bonuses or resistances that you want, for example), or you can choose one that ties to your character's story.

The spirits called familiars serve their arcane masters as spies, messengers, guards, combat assistants, sages, and constant companions. These minuscule spirits take the form of animals, monsters, or objects, which frequently allows others to identify devoted practitioners of the arcane arts. They can provide knowledge and assistance about a variety of subjects, depending on the type of familiar.