Webber Huang shares a handy, handy little tool he created that will create cluster deformers in place of a soft selection in maya, is if applying the soft selection effects transferred to the cluster deformer.
Soft Cluster EX is a python and c++ based tool for converting soft selection to cluster
Soft Cluster EX is written in Python and C++ and supports most common types of deformable geometry in Maya which includes polygons, NURBS, subD and lattice allowing you to toggle object types in the interface. Simply create a soft selection, and hit the create button on the Soft Cluster EX interface, and a cluster deformer is created with the same falloff attributes as the original selection.
The Soft Cluster tool will also create clusters from multiple objects of different types, and allow you to edit and change the fall off mode, and even supports objects with duplicate names. Check out the Soft Cluster EX Tool for Maya here.
