This is a list of some basic strategies in Slither.io. There are no perfect strategies or techniques, but learning these basic moves can help you get started on your quest to becoming the biggest snake!
Aggressive
Aggressive strategies seek to actively destroy other players.
Cutting People Off
One of the most basic techniques in Slither.io is using a burst of speed to suddenly turn in front of another player, causing them to run into you and pop into a giant sea of pellets that you can grab. Even if you're much smaller than another player, it's still very possible to throw yourself in their path and kill them! If you notice someone near you suddenly put on a burst of speed, watch out! They may be preparing to try and cross your path just ahead of you.
Coiling
Coiling refers to a strategy of completely encircling an opponent. As you continue moving, your coils constrict, making it difficult or impossible for an opponent to avoid hitting you. Moreover, any pellets inside can be eaten without another player interrupting. However, while executing this technique, you are vulnerable to a larger snake coming along and coiling around you! You may also find it profitable to coil around a snake attempting to coil a player, if you are large enough to. In addition, if you can't quite create a complete loop or before you do, its possible for your intended victim to shoot out of the gap, blocking your path and killing you instead!
A variation of coiling involves encircling pellets of already killed snake in order to prevent them from being eaten by others.
Defensive
Defensive strategies focus on staying alive.
De-coiling
When other snakes attempt to trap you, you can circle a bit ahead of your opponent in order to cut off their means of enclosing. If they back off but come back with a burst of speed you can simply continue doing it. Gazing your opponet's body will not kill you; use this to your advantage, and continue pushing them off until they give up.
Shielding
Shielding is a technique that revolves around going back and using your own tail as a shield from others. Shielding might be useful as an escape route, but you are vulnerable to larger snakes coiling you. The lengthier the snake, the more effective and less dangerous shielding is.
Opportunistic
Opportunistic strategies involve taking advantage of interactions of multiple players.
Scavenging/Vulture
Eating pellets from recently slain snakes without actively trying to kill them.
Tailing
Tailing is when you follow a bigger snake in hopes of claiming pellets once they collide. Tailing is also used to chase down and grab the kill on larger snakes. Tailing as a smaller snake is very dangerous as most of the time, the snake that is getting tailed can retaliate by cutting paths or even coiling them.