The Tool Desk
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How deathtouch destroys an artifact creature
Comprehensive Rules 702.2b says that a creature with toughness greater than 0 dealt damage by a source with deathtouch since the last time state-based actions were checked is destroyed as a state-based action. Artifact creatures meet the rule’s creature requirement; being an artifact does not change that.
The destruction is not a separate effect that targets the creature. It happens when the game checks state-based actions after damage. The current Comprehensive Rules are available from Wizards of the Coast’s rules page; the reference used here labels the rules effective September 25, 2026.
What to check in a specific game
- Is it currently a creature? Check its current types, including any effects that may have changed them. If it is an artifact but not a creature when the relevant state-based actions are checked, the creature-specific deathtouch destruction rule does not apply.
- Does it have toughness greater than 0? Rule 702.2b states this condition explicitly.
- Was it dealt damage by a source with deathtouch? The damage must have been dealt since the last state-based-action check.
For a card-specific interaction, check the card’s text and its entry in Gatherer, Wizards’ official card database. Wizards customer support recommends consulting card text and Gatherer for specific card information.
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Deathtouch, combat damage, and trample
Deathtouch also affects combat damage assignment. Under Comprehensive Rules 702.2c, any nonzero amount of combat damage assigned to a creature by a source with deathtouch is considered lethal when determining whether excess damage can be assigned. This can matter when a creature with deathtouch also has trample: assigning damage to a blocking creature may count as lethal with less damage than its toughness would ordinarily require, allowing excess damage to be assigned to the defending player or permanent as trample permits.
This assignment rule is distinct from the destruction rule: it helps determine how combat damage is assigned, while 702.2b governs what happens after a creature has actually been dealt damage.
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