Nimble Shield Hand from Bastion Archetype vs Buckler

[Aesatchien]

The Nimble Shield Hand feat is a bit confusing to me as to what you can actually do with it.

Nimble Shield Hand wrote:

You are so used to wielding a shield that you can do so even while using the hand that’s holding it for other purposes. The hand you use to wield a shield counts as a free hand for the purposes of the Interact action. You can also hold another object in this hand (but you still can’t use it to wield a weapon). This benefit doesn’t apply to tower shields, which are still too cumbersome.

A quick read makes it seem as if you now might do anything with that shield hand that you could do with a buckler, in that is a now a free hand that can't hold a weapon. However, by RAW it appears it is only granting a free hand for holding objects and for the purposes of an Interact action, which severely limits it compared to a buckler when your other hand is holding a weapon.

Benefits of Nimble Shield Hand vs. Regular Shield (my interpretation based on the Interact action):

• - Clerics could hold their holy symbol, no longer needing Emblazon Armament to cast spells like 3- action heal while using a shield and holding a weapon
• - Open a door
• - Draw/stow/retrieve items
• - Use a potion (because their activation is an interact)
• - Use a wand/read a scroll (because you can hold them in your hand while you use the Cast A Spell action)
• - Gloves of Storing
• - Others?

Benefits of a buckler that you don't get with Nimble Shield Hand (my interpretation):

• - Grab an Edge (reaction)
• - Disarm/Grapple/Trip/Shove use of free-hand
• - Quick Alchemy
• - Casting spells with Material components
• - All the Fighter/Rogue feats that need a free hand
• - Others?

In order for the Nimble Shield Hand to not be so restrictive c.f. what a buckler grants, it would have needed to grant the Free- Hand weapon trait and then modify it to not be able to wield a weapon.
Does the above sound correct?

[shroudb]

i like nimble hand for a toxicologist melee build, since both applying the poison and drawing it is a Interact action

[Aesatchien]

shroudb wrote:

i like nimble hand for a toxicologist melee build, since both applying the poison and drawing it is a Interact action

That's a good one to add to the list.