Funny...I literally asked our PFS Venture Lieutenant this exactly question yesterday.
Sadly, it was as expected. You aren't using the shield as a shield any longer, so you don't get the additional abilities (such as light fortification).
Activation: Usually a character benefits from magic armor and shields in exactly the way a character benefits from nonmagical armor and shields: by wearing them. If armor or a shield has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter the command word (a standard action).
Activation: Usually a character benefits from magic armor and shields in exactly the way a character benefits from nonmagical armor and shields: by wearing them. If armor or a shield has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter the command word (a standard action).
Not that I'm trying to argue for using the abilities in the above situation....but this doesn't relate to "always on" abilities, such as poison resistance or light fortification.
If you aren't treating the shield as a shield, you don't get ancillary benefits of it being enchanted as a shield.
That is a specific FAQ on the defending enchant, and devs, such as Mark, have said that FAQ's are meant to narrowly apply ONLY to what's mentioned in that FAQ.
Secondly, we HAVE a rule on what the proper way to use armor/shields are: "by wearing them". Defending with, attacking with or any other limitation isn't part of that.
3rd: [rant] that has to be one of the dumbest FAQ's ever... who ever thought having the activation come BEFORE the triggering event (setting bonus at start of turn, activates on attack) was a good idea... :P [/rant]
Not that I'm trying to argue for using the abilities in the above situation....but this doesn't relate to "always on" abilities, such as poison resistance or light fortification.
It does though as it first tells how you benefit from armor/weapons [wear them] THEN goes on to tell you how to activate them ["If armor or a shield has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter the command word (a standard action)"].
wear a shield on your arm so you can defend with it
Nothing about attacking has stopped you from "wearing it on your arm".
If getting the shield bonus was the requirement, then getting flatfooted/surprised prevents it too. Nothing about attacking unstraps a buckler from your arm.
Then what happens if i take unhindered shield: "You still gain a buckler’s bonus to AC even if you use your shield hand for some other purpose." By your theory, they should LOSE their shield abilities even if they keep their shield bonus as they used the shield arm for something OTHER than just defending with it. Or someone with improved shield bash.
IMO, NOTHING in the FAQ overrides the general rule in the activtion section. You have to WEAR the shield to gets it's passive powers.