I think the confusion comes in with defining what is meant by "character creation" ... Poser 5 comes with male, female, and child characters, as well as clothing. You can alter the appearance of the characters by utilizing the Face Room, or by using "morph targets" that, for example, will make a nose larger or cheeks puffier (you get the idea). There are also a limited amount of body morphs that affect the shape of the body. You will also hear about Michael, Victoria, and the other "Millenium" figures. These are very popular characters (some feel more realistic) that are created by DAZ 3D (www.daz3d.com). Chances are you'll eventually want to get bitten by the DAZ bug 8-) Now ... you will need another 3D program if you want to get into creating your own clothing, or morph targets, or scenery and props. But it isn't clear that you want to go in that direction. If you need more info I know lots of people have lots of answers. 8-)