Does playing a gold gear token from Pyke's legend ability reduce the play cost of Battering Ram?

No, playing a Gold gear token via the legend ability of Bloodharbor Ripper (Pyke) does not count as playing a card, and therefore does not reduce the play cost of Battering Ram.

Explanation

1. Cards vs. Tokens According to Rule 052, the term "Card" specifically refers to Main Deck cards. While tokens can be "played" (Rule 182.1.a), they are explicitly distinguished from cards (Rule 182). Battering Ram specifically checks for the number of cards played that turn. Since a Gold gear token is not a Main Deck card, playing it does not satisfy the condition for Battering Ram's cost reduction.

2. Definition of Playing Although the process of playing a token follows the same steps as playing a card (Rule 182.1.a), it does not elevate the token to the status of a "card." Abilities that trigger on or count "cards played" specifically monitor the movement and finalization of Main Deck cards.

3. Bloodharbor Ripper's Ability The legend ability of Bloodharbor Ripper (Pyke) allows you to play a Gold gear token. Because the game explicitly categorizes Gold gear as a token (Rule 184.5 and Patch Notes - 2026-03-16), it does not qualify as a "card" for the purposes of Battering Ram, regardless of the fact that you perform the action of "playing" it.

Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.