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Best Deathtouch cards in MTG

Deathtouch: Any amount of damage dealt by a source with Deathtouch is enough to destroy the creature it is dealt to.

  • Baleful Strix
  • Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
  • Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
  • Bloodthirsty Conqueror
  • The Gitrog Monster
  • Wurmcoil Engine
  • Glissa Sunslayer
  • Grave Titan
  • Acidic Slime
  • Unstoppable Slasher
  • Poison-Tip Archer
  • Hornet Queen
  • Vampire Nighthawk
  • Vile Entomber
  • Nighthawk Scavenger
  • Harvester of Souls
  • Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire
  • Gonti, Lord of Luxury
  • Prosper, Tome-Bound
  • Diregraf Captain
  • Qarsi Revenant
  • Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
  • Yarok, the Desecrated
  • Tinybones, the Pickpocket
  • Witch of the Moors
  • Questing Beast
  • Queen Marchesa
  • Fynn, the Fangbearer
  • Gwenom, Remorseless
  • Nightshade Dryad

Deathtouch turns even a 1/1 into a deterrent that can trade with the biggest creatures on the board, making it excellent for defensive decks and ping effects. Pair it with Trample so excess damage spills over, or with first strike to kill blockers before they can deal damage back. It also shines on creatures that deal damage to multiple targets, like those that fight or deal combat damage to several blockers.

FAQ

Can Deathtouch combine with Trample?
Yes. With both, the attacker only needs to assign 1 lethal damage to each blocker, and the rest can trample over to the player or planeswalker.
Does first strike stop Deathtouch?
If a first striker without Deathtouch kills the Deathtouch creature before normal combat damage, the Deathtouch creature deals no damage back; but if the Deathtouch creature also has first strike or survives, its Deathtouch still applies.
What is the best Deathtouch card?
By popularity, Baleful Strix is among the most-played Deathtouch cards — see the full ranked list above.