Foul Play vs "cannot use this attack next turn"

[Piterr]

Hello,

so Zoroark BREAK uses its Foul Play and copies opponent's attack which says it cannot use this attack next turn (for exaple Xerneas EX with X Blast). How exactly does Foul Play work - does it count like it used opponent's X Blast, or does it count like it used Foul Play with the effect of X Blast? Can Zoroark use Foul Play to copy X Blast next turn?

 

[PokePop]

Great question. It's kind of a strange ruling.
Thanks for the opportunity to focus on a ruling that I suspect a lot of players and judges are not aware of.


It is in the Compendium, but a bit hard to find, so here are two rulings of copy attacks/effects that give different results to this question:

Q. What happens if M Gengar EX uses its "Phantom Gate" attack to copy Xerneas EX's "X Blast" attack? Can it use "Phantom Gate" again the following turn at all or not? Or would it just not be able to copy "X Blast" twice in a row?
A. The X Blast attack puts an effect on Gengar that prohibits using that particular attack next turn. But M Gengar EX is using its Phantom Gate attack on the following turn, so yes it is able to copy X Blast twice in a row. (Jan 22, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. What happens if Mew EX uses its "Versatile" ability to copy Xerneas EX's "X Blast" attack? Can it use "X Blast" again the following turn or not?
A. When Mew EX attacks, Versatile uses the attack name specified. So when it attacks with X Blast, Mew EX cannot use that attack twice in a row. (Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)

In the first case, an Attack is used that is copying the effect of X Blast and is allowed to use it again the next turn.
In the second case, an Ability is allowing the Pokemon to use the attack and is not allowed to use it again the next turn.

Foul Play would work like the first one, and it would be able to use the effect of the X Blast attack again next turn.