Creatures are among the most popular card types in Magic the Gathering decks, and Deathtouch is one of the very best static abilities a creature may have.
But, the real question we’re exploring here is: does deathtouch kill when blocking? Or, does it only kill while it’s attacking?
Read on below and explore the full and thorough answer!
Do Creatures With Deathtouch Kill When Blocking?
In MTG, the attacking and blocking phases occur simultaneously when a player declares which creatures they are attacking with and which players they are targeting.
If a defending player controls a Deathtouch creature and uses it to block, it may indeed kill the attacking creature while blocking.
But, that isn’t always the case, however, because sometimes the blocker doesn’t actually get to attack back. If the attacker is stronger, the blocking creature dies before it exchanges even a point of damage.
In the case the dead blocker had Deathtouch, it doesn’t make any difference. The creature would still die before getting the chance to deal any damage.
How Exactly Does the Blocking Phase Work?
Once the attacker has declared what’s happening, the defending players have their chance to react. This stage is known as the blocking phase. It is the part of the turn when the defender declares which creatures will act as blockers, and which attacking creatures they will block.
During the blocking phase, the defending creatures go up against the attacking creatures, and damage is exchanged. First, the attacking creature and its abilities, if it has any, come into play followed by the blocker’s powers and abilities activating in return.
The attacking creature deals its damage to the blocker first, which is deducted from the defender’s toughness. If the blocking creature survives it attacks back automatically and its strength is deducted from the attacking creature’s toughness.
Under normal circumstances, the creatures may end up dead if they don’t have a high enough level of toughness to survive the attack(s). When a creature dies, it’s sent straight to the graveyard.
That said, in the case that the blocking creature has enough toughness to survive the attack, and it has the Deathtouch ability, it kills the attacking creature regardless of how much toughness said card has.
FAQs About Deathtouch Killing When Blocking
Does Deathtouch Kill While Blocking?
Yes, a blocking creature with the Deathtouch ability may kill a creature that attacks it. That said, if the attacking creature’s strength is higher than the Deathtouch creature’s toughness, the Deathtouch creature will die before it can kill the attacker.
How Does Deathtouch Work With Multiple Blockers?
Deathtouch works the same way with multiple blockers as any creature cards do. The main difference is that all of the blockers will more than likely die before they do any good because the Deathtouch ability may kill them instantly. In that sense, there is very little good reason to use more than one creature to block an attacker that has Deathtouch.
Does Deathtouch Kill Deathtouch?
Deathtouch kills any creature that it touches, including other creatures with Deathtouch. If by chance both the attacker and blocker have Deathtouch, the attacker wins by default. That’s because it’s the first one to deal damage. Further, in this case, even one point of damage is automatically lethal.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line? Yes, Deathtouch creatures do kill the opponent’s attacking creatures when they are blocking.
Although, if the Deathtouch creature doesn’t have enough toughness to withstand the attack it won’t hit back. That means it won’t kill the attacker either. Even more, it will die itself and go to the graveyard.
Hopefully we answered your questions about Deathouch kills while blocking! Thanks for reading!