Trample Deathtouch

[BobLoblaw]

For the sake of an easier explanation, I will ask my question through an example:

Say I have a Terra Stomper (8/8, Trample) and I attach a Basilisk Collar (Deathtouch/Lifelink).

I attack with Terra Stomper now... Terra Stomper is blocked by another 8/8 creature. Does all the damage clear and kill both creatures off, or can I say "The Terra Stomper deals 1 damage, kills your creature, and then 7 more damage directly to player/other blockers via trample?

Essentially, in the case of a trample deathtouch creature attacking, what happens when it is blocked by something with more than 1 toughness?

[Arix]

Trample requires you to assign lethal damage to the blocker. Lethal damage means damage equal to or greater than its toughness. Deathtouch does not change that.

Deathtouch does not interact with tramplle.

[BobLoblaw]

Do you happen to know where I could find an official ruling page or proof of this so I can show it to my friends and prove them wrong? Lol

[Arix]

Here:

702.17b. The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. Once all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among those blocking creatures and the player or planeswalker the creature is attacking. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt. The attacking creature's controller need not assign lethal damage to all those blocking creatures but in that case can't assign any damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.
...
Lethal Damage: An amount of damage greater than or equal to a creature's toughness.

[Poppie]

I was wondering about this myself, so I had to look it up.

Starting with M11, deathtouch no longer ignores blocking order in situations involving multiple blockers. Additionally, you only need to assign a single point of damage from a creature with deathtouch to each blocker, which makes deathtouch a potent combination with trample. A 4/4 with trample and deathtouch can assign one damage to a blocking 8/8 and the other 3 damage to the defending player. The full FAQ entry for deathtouch appears below. Note that it's subject to changes before the final version of the FAQ is posted, and not all the cards in the examples appear in M11.

...Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Acidic Slime (a 2/2 creature with deathtouch) is Spined Wurm (a 5/4 creature) then Siege Mastodon (a 3/5 creature) then Runeclaw Bear (a 2/2 creature). Acidic Slime can assign 1 damage to the Wurm and 1 damage to the Mastodon, or 2 damage to the Wurm. It can't assign damage to the Bear. Each creature Acidic Slime deals damage to is destroyed.

* If an attacking creature with deathtouch and trample becomes blocked, the attacking creature first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. Once all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among those blocking creatures and the player or planeswalker the creature is attacking. However, since the creature has deathtouch, assigning even 1 damage to a creature is considered to be lethal damage....

Important Magic: the Gathering 2011 Core Set rules update to deathtouch

[Arix]

Yup, this rule will be changed with the release of M11.

[Poppie]

While on the subject, if a deathtouch+trample combo where to come in to play, and defeat all blockers with some damage left to give, would the player be affected by the deathtouch or is it only reserved for creatures?

[Nik]

deathtouch works only against creatures

[Poppie]

Okay, good. That's what I was thinking since it specifically said creature. I'm REALLY new and not quite up on everything yet. I actually had someone tell me that you HAD to keep 7 cards in your hand and you could draw more than one card on your draw phase if needed. That sounded too fishy too even a newbie like me. But the deathtouch thing I wasn't certain. Thanks for the info.