The Wild West chapter in Live A Live is one of the most unique in the game—it’s a tactical defense mission wrapped inside a Western showdown. The bulk of the chapter revolves around setting traps to protect the town from an incoming outlaw gang. To do this successfully, you’ll need to gather various items around town, assign them wisely to townsfolk, and make sure to avoid a few common mistakes that can cost you time or effectiveness.

This guide walks you through where to find every trap item, which NPCs are worth assigning traps to, and how to make the most out of your prep time before the final showdown.

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Step 1: Triggering the Trap-Setting Sequence

Start by talking to Billy in the bar. He’ll give you a slingshot, which is a trap you’ll assign back to him later. Before you begin scavenging for traps, be sure to grab the healing item behind the bar (Herbal Liniment)—while healing items don’t make a massive difference, they can help if things go sideways.

Next, interact with the bookshelf to reveal a hidden passage. This will give you access to items downstairs, where you’ll find a number of Molotov ingredients and more.

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Step 2: Gathering Trap Materials

You’ll now move around town, collecting unique items. Here’s a breakdown of what to grab and where:

Inside the Bar

• Upstairs rooms: More healing items and some dialogue triggers.
• Annie’s Room: Important to visit to progress story, even though you don’t get a trap here.

Sheriff’s Office

• Two guns and one stick of dynamite. Dynamite is one of the best traps, so make sure it gets used.

Stable/Barn

• Shovel (used for a pitfall trap).
• Frying Pan and Carrot (used in two specific traps).

Boarding House

• Bundle of Rope, hidden behind barrels. This one is easy to miss—the door is obscured from view.

Tsukaba Storefront (left side of town)

• Tar Barrel, more Molotov ingredients, and empty bottles.

Secret Items

• Slingshot from Billy
• Horse Poop, Carrot, Shovel—humorous or practical traps
• Love Poster from the bartender’s room (used to distract an enemy)

Important note: Molotovs only activate once during the trap sequence—even if you make multiples. So there’s no need to overproduce them unless you’re planning to use them in the boss fight.

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Step 3: Who Should Plant the Traps?

Not all NPCs are created equal. One of the mariachi band members (the one with green hair) is too slow and should be avoided entirely. You have exactly enough time and NPCs without him.

Specific trap assignments:

• Billy → Slingshot
• Annie → Frying Pan

General NPC assignments (pick any trap):

• Sancho (fastest mariachi) → Carrot
• Rightmost mariachi → Rope
• Sheriff → Shovel
• Bartender → Love Poster

Assign the Dynamite to anyone you trust to be fast. It’s one of the most effective traps and should not be wasted.

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Step 4: Equipping Before the Battle

Before starting the battle, make sure to equip your characters properly:

• Mad Dog → Equip Peacemaker and Bluntline Special
• Sundown → Equip the Jacket found earlier in the bar

Many players forget this step in the rush to assign traps, but it can make the difference when you go up against the final boss.

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Step 5: Wait for the Final Bell

Once all traps are placed, the game becomes a waiting exercise until the seventh bell rings. If you’ve set at least one of each unique trap and avoided wasting assignments, you’ll be in good shape.

After the bell tolls, the boss will arrive, flanked by his gang. It’s a 2v1 boss fight where things can go south quickly. His Gatling gun is deadly—sometimes dropping a character in one shot—so bring your best tactics and make sure to use your newly equipped weapons.

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Final Notes

While gathering traps can be time-consuming, it’s not overly punishing. You don’t need to rush—there’s plenty of time to explore and collect everything, as long as you don’t waste time revisiting areas pointlessly or assigning tasks to slow NPCs.

Stick to the essentials, don’t overdo the Molotovs, and equip your characters properly. With that, you’ll set up the town perfectly for the final stand—and maybe even survive the Wild West’s deadliest day.

Stay tuned for a follow-up on beating the boss fight that follows!