This demo uses only joint-based deformations. It's driven by 117 joints with 4 max influences each.
The "helper joints" that give it such nice deformations are driven by a custom vector-angle setup that helps avoid the issues
that arrive if you use traditional eular-based setups.
This rig is the product of a modular autorig system I'm writing; using it, this setup and animation took under 20 hours to complete.
Game Rig Deformation Demo