<p><strong>No, creating a token is not the same thing as casting a spell.</strong></p>

<p>First, be sure to always go off of the Oracle wording, which for older cards will often be different than what is printed on the card. Soul Barrier actually says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell, Soul Barrier deals 2 damage to that player unless they pay {2}.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The idea of "summoning" a creature has no rules meaning in MTG; the only question is if he cast a creature spell or not.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>601.2. To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A creature spell is simply a spell with the creature type. </p>

<p>So if you cast <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSiege-Gang%20Commander%5d">Siege-Gang Commander</a>, then you have cast a creature spell, and the triggered ability of <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Barrier%5d">Soul Barrier</a> will trigger.</p>

<p>When Siege-Gang Commander enters the battlefield, and its triggered ability creates 3 Goblin tokens, that has nothing to do with casting a spell. That is a triggered ability that creates tokens when it resolves; it will not trigger Soul Barrier's ability again.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-11T15:05:39.023Z
2018-06-11T15:05:39.023Z
GendoIkari
<p>My opponent wants to spam/create 500 goblin tokens while <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Barrier%5d">Soul Barrier</a> is in play, does he take 1000 damage from Soul Barrier or do tokens when created not count as a creature summoning when generated.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-11T14:56:58.210Z
How exactly is your opponent creating the goblin tokens?
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-21T13:21:32.193Z
Rolling back the edit; because it seems that at least part of the asker's question stems from the fact that they are going based off of the old/printed wording. Changing it to use the oracle wording changes the meaning of the question itself and makes half of the answer not make sense.
GendoIkari
<magic-the-gathering>
Does token creation count as successfully casting a summon spell?
gh0stthatwalks
# Does token creation count as successfully casting a summon spell?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-11)

My opponent wants to spam/create 500 goblin tokens while [Soul Barrier](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Barrier%5d) is in play, does he take 1000 damage from Soul Barrier or do tokens when created not count as a creature summoning when generated.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How exactly is your opponent creating the goblin tokens?  
> **username_2**: Rolling back the edit; because it seems that at least part of the asker's question stems from the fact that they are going based off of the old/printed wording. Changing it to use the oracle wording changes the meaning of the question itself and makes half of the answer not make sense.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-11. Score: 7

**No, creating a token is not the same thing as casting a spell.**

First, be sure to always go off of the Oracle wording, which for older cards will often be different than what is printed on the card. Soul Barrier actually says:

> Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell, Soul Barrier deals 2 damage to that player unless they pay {2}.

The idea of "summoning" a creature has no rules meaning in MTG; the only question is if he cast a creature spell or not.

> 601.2. To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect.

A creature spell is simply a spell with the creature type.

So if you cast [Siege-Gang Commander](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSiege-Gang%20Commander%5d), then you have cast a creature spell, and the triggered ability of [Soul Barrier](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Barrier%5d) will trigger.

When Siege-Gang Commander enters the battlefield, and its triggered ability creates 3 Goblin tokens, that has nothing to do with casting a spell. That is a triggered ability that creates tokens when it resolves; it will not trigger Soul Barrier's ability again.


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