A deformer can create deformation effects on any deformable object. A deformable object is any object whose structure is defined by control points. Control points include NURBS control vertices (CVs), polygonal vertices, and lattice points. NURBS curves, NURBS surfaces, polygonal surfaces (meshes), and lattices are all deformable objects. In this documentation, control points are often called points, and the control points of deformable objects are often called deformable object points.

Maya subdivision surfaces are deformable. For more information, you can download the Subdivision Surfaces guide from the Maya documentation archive.

With Maya’s API development tools, you can define your own custom deformable objects. For more information, see the API guide.

A character’s model can consist of one deformable object (for example, a large polygonal surface) or groups of deformable objects (for example, groups of NURBS surfaces).

When you create a deformer, Maya puts all the deformable object points that the deformer can affect into a set, called a deformer set. This set is editable. For more information, see Editing deformer set membership.