I saw that a hydra has "advantage on saving throws against being… knocked unconscious" and was curious as to what spells or effects would cause such a thing to happen. The only effect that came to mind is the sleep spell, which operates on hit points rather than a saving throw. What else can knock a creature unconscious?
[RPG] What spells or other effects cause a creature to make a saving throw to avoid being knocked out
conditionsdnd-5esaving-throwspells
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Best Answer
Spells
Fortunately D&D Beyond categorizes spells by applied conditions and lets you filter by it. Doing so lists eyebite, which applies unconscious as part of its Asleep mode, and symbol, which does so as part of its Sleep mode. In addition the spells sleep and catnap (not listed above) apply the condition, but not contingent on saving throws.
Whether the Slumber mode of imprisonment counts is unclear, the spell does not call out the unconscious condition, but asleep is often taken to mean unconscious. Ask your DM before making a sleeping
beautyhydra.Monster abilities
In addition a number of monster traits cause the unconscious condition contingent on a saving throw, such as the chasme's Drone:
There's also the Ogre Chain Brute's Chain Smash, the Kamadan's Sleep Breath, the Beholder's (and Gauth's and Death Tyrant's) Sleep ray, the Gentle Lullaby of a Satyr with pipes, and the Sleep Breath of Brass Dragons (and probably many others). Effects which cause the unconscious condition contingent on a poisoning (usually by failing the saving throw by 5 or more), such as the pseudodragon's Sting presumably aren't valid.
To my knowledge there are no player character options which include the effect (outside the above spells, or summoning an applicable monster, nor any magic items (where it isn't part of a poison effect), but I welcome any additions I've missed.