I have a few questions regarding the Break Enchantment spell and petrification:

1) Can Break Enchantment be used to reverse petrification from a Gorgon's breath or Medusa's gaze? On the one hand, nothing in the spell specifies that it works on spells only. On the other hand, it assumes a caster level for the effect to be undone.

2) If Break Enchantment can be used to reverse a non-spell-based enchantment, alteration, curse, or petrification, how do you set the DC for the caster level check (normally 11 + caster level of the targeted effect) if there is no caster level given for that effect (e.g. monster special attacks resulting in petrification)?

3) Flesh to Stone is a 6th-level spell that has an instantaneous duration and cannot be dispelled (the Dispel Magic description specifies both instantaneous duration spells and petrification as effects on which it will not work). In the PHB, Break Enchantment specifically mentions Flesh to Stone as a spell it can reverse. It also says that if a spell cannot be dispelled with Dispel Magic, then Break Enchantment can only reverse it if it is a spell of 5th-level or less. Taken together, this does not make sense. Either Flesh to Stone cannot be affected by Break Enchantment, or Break Enchantment can affect at least that one particular 6th-level spell. I notice that the SRD, unlike the PHB, does NOT mention Flesh to Stone as an example spell that can be undone with Break Enchantment in the latter's description. What gives?

4) Why would anyone use Stone to Flesh to reverse Flesh to Stone instead of Break Enchantment. BE is 5th level, while StF is 6th level. BE has a chance of failure, but there is no other negative consequence and it can be tried again. StF is automatically successful, but requires a DC 15 Fort save or the restored creatures DIES. BE affects 1 creature/level, while StF affects only one creature. It seems to me that StF is so risky, no one would want to use it, and would rather take their chances at failure with the caster level check for BE. What's worse, failing the caster level check and having to try again at some point, or failing the Fort save and DYING? I really don't understand why the DC is so high, or even why there's one at all, frankly.

Thanks,
MC

From the SRD Sor/Wiz spell list: "Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification."

From the SRD spell description:

Break Enchantment
Abjuration
Level: Brd 4, Clr 5, Luck 5, Pal 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: Up to one creature per level, all within 30 ft. of each other
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
This spell frees victims from enchantments, transmutations, and curses. Break enchantment can reverse even an instantaneous effect. For each such effect, you make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level, maximum +15) against a DC of 11 + caster level of the effect. Success means that the creature is free of the spell, curse, or effect. For a cursed magic item, the DC is 25.
If the spell is one that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic, break enchantment works only if that spell is 5th level or lower.
If the effect comes from some permanent magic item break enchantment does not remove the curse from the item, but it does frees the victim from the item’s effects.

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