UMD carries its own restrictions, using it to activate a wand, still have to use it in a hand that you're able to carry items, but not specifically stated you can use. Activate blindly maybe, but has it's own risks.
I've stated this before, a light weapon is used in one hand. A light shield is a light weapon. It allows you to carry items in your hand along with the grip, but carrying it, is similar but not necessarily the same thing as holding it in hand and able to use.
You shield bash, that your point, so take that feat that lets you shield bash with a buckler, and follows buckler rules and acts as a light shield for feats and bash and such. Or get a ring of force shield and free action to activate/deactivate as much as you want. Hold you wand all you want.
The wording for buckler states what you can/can't do. The wording for light shield states what you can/can't do. The wording for heavy shield states what you can/can't do.
If you take the evidence and it beings you to a place that lets you use one hand to do two things then you're off base.
Light, One-Handed, and Two-Handed Melee Weapons: This designation is a measure of how much effort it takes to wield a weapon in combat. It indicates whether a melee weapon, when wielded by a character of the weapon's size category, is considered a light weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a two-handed weapon.
Light: A light weapon is used in one hand.
Shield, Light; Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A light shield's weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it.
Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. However, additional items beyond those in the slots listed above have no effect.
Some items can be worn or carried without taking up a slot on a character's body.
Slot: Most magic items can only be utilized if worn or wielded in their proper slots. If the item is stowed or placed elsewhere, it does not function. If the slot lists "none," the item must be held or otherwise carried to function.
To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area.
So, if a shield is being used in one hand, and it's description lets you carry a wand in that hand, but there is a difference between carry and held, you can't effectively be holding the wand in hand to use it if you're already holding a shield.
A buckler clearly states if I attack or cast a spell then you lose you AC. You want to use your light shield hand to activate a wand but essentially keep your AC simply because it's not written that you can't.
That upsetting shield style feat was written for a reason.
Do a search function of the core rulebook pdf.
"hold" then "carr" and see all the various reference each one makes all throughout the book.
You'll learn that held is a more precise term than carry.
So, by many citings in the core rule book, if you're wielding your light shield in one hand, you can't hold your wand effectively in the same hand in order to meet the activation requirements.
Core Rulebook Examples: All thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs. . Items held are considered carried, but carried items in your hand are not automatically considered held.
Specific trumps general.
Climb says "You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. You also can’t use a shield while climbing."
If you had your shield in one hand and sword in the other, could you deflect or snatch arrows? No. "You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat."
If you're carrying a net in your shield hand, you can't "control the trailing rope by succeeding on an opposed Strength check while holding it."
Tower shield has a sentence "targeting the shield you are holding." Now light shields aren't tower, but are still held.
Can you hold a charge in your light shield hand? No. A held charge considers you armed, and you can't wield weapons.
Now if you were a monster with the grab ability and you shield bashed then attempted to grab the target with your shield hand at a -20, I'd say yes because the rules apply penalties for not having hands free.
If i cast command and tell you to drop, you would drop your weapon, then shield, and by default, your carried wand becomes held, then dropped. "Drop: On its turn, the subject drops whatever it is holding."
If you're carrying a map in your shield hand, and i cast erase then touch it. You're left with a blank piece of paper."Nonmagical writing is automatically erased if you touch it and no one else is holding it."
Haste would grant you another shield bash but not an attack with a carried weapon in shield hand "a hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding."
Irresistable Dance references shields as being held "it negates any AC bonus granted by a shield the target holds."
Sandstorms "contaminating carried gear."
Urban adventures states "Different cities have different laws about such issues as carrying weapons in public.."
Magic items on the body "Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. However, additional items beyond those in the slots listed above have no effect. Some items can be worn or carried without taking up a slot on a character’s body."
Slot: Most magic items can only be utilized if worn or wielded in their proper slots. If the item is stowed or placed elsewhere, it does not function. If the slot lists “none,” the item must be held or otherwise carried to function.
Ring of shooting stars says "Those wearing metal armor and/or carrying a metal weapon take 4d8 points of damage."
Rod of Splendor proves this point "The possessor of this fantastically bejeweled rod gains a +4 enhancement bonus to her Charisma score for as long as she holds or carries the item."
Horn of blasting :Crystalline objects and creatures take 7d6 points of sonic damage, with no save unless they’re held, worn, or carried by creatures (Fortitude DC 16 negates).
Mirror of life trapping: "A victim’s equipment (including clothing and anything being carried) remains behind."
Etc. Etc. Etc.
"If you are a player, you make all of the decisions for your character, from what abilities your character has to the type of weapon he carries."
Conclusion:
If a wand requires you to hold it in your hand, but a light shield only allows you to carry items in your hand, then you can't use the wand, because you're already holding a shield in your hand.
Specific Trumps General. Items held are considered carried, but carried items in your hand are not automatically considered held.
So swap weapon and wand, cast, swap again.
^^or this. Rules don't limit how many items you can "carry" in one hand. I'm sure holding a weapon would prevent you from carrying any other items, but light shield says "items" plural, so there you go.
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So swap weapon and wand, cast, swap again.
Yeah, I see no issues here. Kinda petty, having to switch in this manner, but this certainly meets the normal requirements. That said, if your weapon hand can't switch like this, perhaps because you've got a hook hand or other hard to remove weapon, that might not work for you.
Another thought occurred. You could use that spell, Weaponwand, and either target the shield or shield spikes. Shield might get ruled ineligble (expect table variation) due to it being a shield, but shield spikes are definitely a weapon so could add cheap spikes just for this.
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What about things in between? Can you point a wand well enough at targets to cast spells if it's in the same hand as a light shield? Not clearly covered by rules.The thing is, "Can you point a wand well enough at targets to cast spells" isn't the standard wands use. Wands use "point it in the general direction of the target or area",
So it's not about pin point accuracy but 'over to the left' type aiming. A shield seems capable of gesturing in a general direction and along with it the hand using it. No other action is required other than time [a standard action for spell trigger activation method].
So does anyone disagree that with a shield, you can "point it in the general direction of the target or area"? And if you don't disagree, why would holding a wand change that?
Well it's sort of a sliding scale thing. You can't wield a weapon in your shield-hand. Could you make a ranged touch attack with your shield hand then? I mean, there is a shield hanging on your arm that you're trying to angle towards opponents, and that they may be hammering at, jostling your aim.
So maybe not ranged touch attacks... but pointing in general? Well, maybe. You're not crazy for thinking so, but I do lean somewhat in the direction that a shield-hand is really only good for holding something in addition to holding the shield.