So there I am, hacking away at vampires with my pure-warrior-type character, when I suddenly get the notification: "Destruction skill increases to 16." Given that the only Destruction spell I have is the "Flames" spell every character gets whether they want to be magic-users or not (don't even get me started) and that I never use that spell, this came as something of a surprise. Then I realized that the skill increase came from using the Dawnguard Rune Shield.

Now, I already have an issue with this thing. As some of you may know, when this shield is equipped (raised or not) friendly NPCs will give you the same worried dialogue they'd give if you have a fire spell armed and raised (they'll also react in similar fashion to the Rune Axe but only when you have it raised). It's rather annoying and I have to make a point of unequipping the thing before visiting a city.

However, I didn't realize until now that use of this shield will slowly raise your Destruction skill, presumably while it's being used to burn vampires which is what I was doing at the time of the skill increase.

This, of course, is stupid. Using a shield, regardless of whatever enchantment it might have, should impact one skill and one skill only: block. I suppose this could constitute a bug, but I'm uncertain as to whether or not this is a deliberate "feature" of the shield. If it is, then it's a bad idea. I don't want my Destruction skill raised on this particular character, which means this shield (which I rather enjoy) has to go back into storage.

Seems odd that it'd increase Destruction. Doesn't it do sun/light/whatever damage? Aren't those handled by Restoration? You'd think if that were the case, that's the school that would be improved, not Destruction, though I don't think either one should be improved through using a shield. You don't raise Destruction by using a frost-enchanted dagger, so why's the shield different?