153 Commander-legal cards give deathtouch. The most-played are Basilisk Collar, Ohran Frostfang and Vault of the Archangel (card data dated November 12, 2026).
Deathtouch makes any amount of damage enough to destroy a creature. 153 Commander-legal cards give it to your creatures or spells, most-played first.
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Best cards that give deathtouch in Commander
Ranked most-played first, the best cards that give deathtouch in Commander are Basilisk Collar; Ohran Frostfang; Vault of the Archangel; Saryth, the Viper's Fang; and Binding the Old Gods. Every card on this list is legal in Commander as of the card data dated November 12, 2026.
What these cards do
A card that gives deathtouch makes any damage another creature deals destroy the creature it is dealt to. Basilisk Collar, Quietus Spike and Gorgon's Head do it as Equipment, Ohran Frostfang and Bow of Nylea for every attacker you control, and Vault of the Archangel and Kaya, Geist Hunter for your whole board for a turn. Decks play them so small creatures trade with big ones.
They differ in what they reach. Most give it to creatures, while Pestilent Spirit gives it to your instant and sorcery spells, so one damage spell destroys every creature it damages, and Judith, Carnage Connoisseur can give it to each instant or sorcery you cast. Death Baron gives it to Skeletons and other Zombies, Ogre Slumlord to Rats, and deathtouch counters, such as Gift of the Viper's, stay on the creature.
Rules note: a creature dealt damage by a source with deathtouch is destroyed the next time state-based actions are checked, so indestructible saves it and regeneration can replace the destruction.
The list
153 cards in all. The 60 most-played are listed here, each linked to its page with printings, prices and format legality.
Commander-legal cards whose rules text gives deathtouch to another creature, to a group of creatures, or to spells: Equipment and Auras (equipped creature has deathtouch), your whole board (creatures you control have deathtouch), one target (target creature gains deathtouch), spells (instant and sorcery spells you control have deathtouch), and deathtouch counters. Cards that only have deathtouch themselves, or that give it only to themselves, to a token they create or to a creature they take control of, are not listed. One entry per card, most-played first.
Built from the card data dated 2026-11-12.
Frequently asked questions
How does deathtouch work in MTG?
A creature with toughness greater than 0 that has been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch is destroyed as a state-based action (rules 702.2b and 704.5h). Any amount counts, even 1, and it works from any zone, so a spell with deathtouch destroys the creatures it damages (rule 702.2d).
Does deathtouch work with trample?
Yes, and well: any nonzero amount of combat damage a source with deathtouch assigns to a creature counts as lethal damage (rule 702.2c). An attacker with deathtouch and trample can assign 1 damage to each blocker and the rest to the player (rule 702.19b).
Do two sources of deathtouch stack?
Not on one object: multiple instances of deathtouch on the same object are redundant (rule 702.2f), so Basilisk Collar on a creature that already has deathtouch adds nothing. Deathtouch doesn't get past indestructible either, because it destroys (rules 704.5h and 702.12b).
Sources
Comprehensive Rules, effective September 25, 2026: rules 702.2b, 702.2c, 702.2d and 702.2f (deathtouch), rule 704.5h (state-based actions), rule 702.19b (trample), rule 702.12b (indestructible) and rule 122.1b (keyword counters).
Mana Grove card database, MTGJSON build of November 12, 2026: the rules text, type line and Commander legality of every card on this list, and the deck-inclusion popularity rank behind its order.