What does deathtouch mean in magic the gathering?

Answer 1

Deathtouch is a static ability, like trample or flying, that reads, "When this creature deals damage to another creature, destroy the creature that was dealt damage."

For example, if you have a 1/1 creature with deathtouch blocking an 8/8 creature, then your creature will deal 1 damage to the attacking creature, and vice versa. Your creature will die because it was dealt enough damage to kill it, but your opponent's creature will die as well. This ability also works when you are attacking or using an ability that deals damage to a creature, such as Pestilence Demon.

Answer 2

No. Combat damage is dealt simultaneously from both attacking and blocking creatures. Lethal damage will be assigned to the deathtouch blocker, and the rest to the defending player (if any remain). When damage is dealt, the attacker will be dealt lethal deathouch damage, and the blocker and player(if damage was assigned) will be dealt damage at the same time.

Note that if the blocking creature had both first strike and deathtouch, the blocker would deal its combat damage in the first combat damage step, killing the attacker before it could deal its damage in the Combat Damage Step.

Answer 3

Deathtouch is a static ability that allows any damage dealt by the creature that has it to be considered lethal damage. Specifically, just 1 point of deathtouch is enough to kill a creature.