To confirm the definition of regenerates.
{spiny starfish} says {U} to regenerate, if starfish regenerated put X 0/1 tokens on the field At eot, where X is the number of times fish regenerated.
Now I was thinking, what is being counted? The number of times the ability was activated, or the number of times it was actually saved from destruction.
Then I found this:
701.12c (http://imtgapp.com/forum/index.php?action=imtg;area=rule;number=701.12c): Neither activating an ability that creates a regeneration shield nor casting a spell that creates a regeneration shield is the same as regenerating a permanent. Effects that say that a permanent can't be regenerated don't prevent such abilities from being activated or such spells from being cast; rather, they prevent regeneration shields from having any effect.
If I interpret this right, it counts the number of shields used. So no mana sinking for making many tokens without say {pestilence}.
Am I right?
Yep. The actually act of regenerating is tapping, removing all damage and not dying.
Tx for the confirmation.