Strategies

Snakes can have several different tactics and strategies to gain mass.

Aggressive

The aggressive styled snake will take every opportunity possible to attack another snake and steal their mass, whether it be through coiling, boa constricting, trapping them at the edge, or even teaming up with other snakes (Of course, the aggressive snake will then kill its teammates...). Aggressive snakes are sometimes not very smart and easy to kill if you time it right. Aggressive snakes are also known to frequently speed. In addition, aggressive snakes are often the creators of Mass Rushes.

Passive

The passive snake is a peaceful snake that will only go after the small, miniature pellets generated by speeding snakes or by Slither.io server generation. The passive snake rarely attacks (See subtype of passive snakes, Self-Defensive).

Self-Defensive

A common subtype of the Passive snake is the "Self-Defensive" snake. The self-defensive is mostly passive, but if threatened, it will eliminate the threat, and then go back to its peaceful nature.

Scavenger

The scavenger snake will not attack and instead follow other snakes. When he sees the other snakes create a mass pool, he will swoop in and steal lots of mass before retreating. Scavenger snakes are often a STAGE, and after this they will most likely "evolve" into another type of snake.

Combo

The combo snake can be any combination of all previously mentioned types.

Aggressive-Scavenger Combo

The most common is the aggressive-scavenger combo. These will attack if given the chance to, and will scavenge any remains, mostly snake remains.

All-Type-Combo

Another type is the All-Type-Combo, which is a combo of all previously mentioned types. These will scavenge any remains, will usually be passive, but if given the chance, will attack any snake and will defend itself if needed. These usually are sharp, smart, and quick, but some are not very smart, slow, or slow-turning.

Boa Constricting/Encircling

A common strategy in Slither.io is the Encircle strategy, or Boa Constricting. How it works is that a large

A blue snake encircling a red snake.

snake with the intention of gaining more mass aggressively will be able to encircle a smaller snake and going into its own tail (See image). The big snake will then begin closing in on the smaller snake until the space is so small enough that inevitably the small snake rams into the big snake, killing it and releasing its Mass for the Encircling snake.

Be warned, if the smaller snake can time it correctly, it can ram in front of the bigger snake as it is closing in and free itself, simultaneously killing the bigger snake.

Choking/Squeezing

This is related to constricting/encircling, but instead of going all the away round, the snake will partly constrict the victim, and then let go in a straight line, either letting the snake go or leaving the snake with very little space to survive to the point of death.

Coiling

Another common strategy is coiling, or following your own tail until you appear small enough to pose or threat and lure enemies into a false sense of security.

A pink snake coiling. Note that other snakes are attempting to attack the coiling snake.

However, this may result in a snake smaller than the coiling snake to Boa Constrict the coiling snake, trapping the bigger snake. Bigger snakes have less mobility than smaller ones, resulting in an almost instant game over.

Trapping

A lone snake that is very vulnerable to trapping.

A third common gameplay strategy in Slither.io is trapping. This is the act of bringing a small snake to the edge and semi-constricting them, leaving them to either ram headfirst into The Edge/Barrier or crash into you.

Note: that this is an extremely risky strategy, as the trapper himself may ram into the barrier that creates the edge of the map.

Baiting

Baiting is when you trick an opponent that is trying to Boa Constrictor you. What happens is you go near the opponent's tail, and when he is about to complete it, you rush straight in front and kill the opponent.

Header

This strategy will rely on boost. You go near other snakes and boost yourself in front of them and will run into you. If you succeed, you immediately take a sharp turn to take in all the mass so no other snakes steal your mass.