Does Shield Slam make Shield Snag unusable?

[RoryJ]

Shield Slam states that "Any opponents hit by your shield bash are also hit with a free bull rush attack", it doesn't give an option not to make a bull rush attempt. Shield Snag states "You cannot use this ability during the same round as a bull rush attempt made with Shield Slam or with any other abilities that affect how your shield bash works." Setting aside what counts as affecting how your shield bash works (Power Attack, Shield Master, TWF etc.), does this mean that if you take the Shield Slam feat you can never use Shield Snag again since Shield Slam is always on?

[happykj]

It is free, not obligatory. You should be able to choose which feat to use, otherwise the rule will looks dumb. This feat cant be intended to make another feat unusable, since shield snag explicitly assume you may have both feats.

[Azothath]

Shield wpn descrip for a 'bash' a std actn atk.
Shield Slam feat Prereqs: Imp Shld Bash, Shld Prof, Two-Wpn Fighting, BAB +6. "Any opponents hit by your shield bash are also ..." so your bash attack has to hit first.
Shield Snag feat Prereqs: Imp Shld Bash, Shld Prof, Two-Wpn Fighting {and the penalties}, BAB +6. Assumes you are making a bash (somewhere in the attack sequence). "Any opponents hit by your shield bash are also ..." so your bash attack has to hit first. Then "... You cannot use this ability during the same round as a bull rush attempt made with Shield Slam or with any other abilities that affect how your shield bash works." which forbids using another benefit or change for the shield bash attack (an exclusion).
Imp Shield Bash feat

Using a feat is optional. Shield Snag benefit is mutually exclusive (not having/taking the feat, just using the feat's benefit); benefit from Shield Slam or Shield Snag, not both.

Shield Tricks

Ready/drop Shield a move actn.

search for 'shield bash'

Shield Bearer trait

the exclusion is meant to cover some benefit or change to the bash attack itself, not a general penalty such as Fighting Defensively (-4 to all attacks) using the shield.

[AwesomenessDog]

As funny as it may be to assume that a character suddenly loses the ability to pull his punches shield slams, it's as happy said, you don't have to use a feat's benefits, the feat just assumes you are when its explains how it works.