Arctic Druid

[Half-orc Bard]

Why do Druid's class abilities revolve around the forest like woodland stride. When the desert and arctic are also nature

[Squiggles]

The wording in the 3.5 PHB for most Druid abilities are fairly ambiguous, they may carry woodsy names but they apply to everything. Woodland Stride, for example,

'a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment'

for me that would apply to a reasonable depth of snow, sagebrush, cacti, etc.

Also Sandstorm has alternate abilities more suited to a desert druid, I'm not sure if Frostburn does the same.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Sandstorm as ACFs for Druid. Frostburn has a bunch of new spells, namely Snowsight and Obscuring Snow which when combined are downright unfair.

[Half-orc Bard]

Hm you're right about woodland stride. I wonder how that'd look like with trackless step in the snow! It won't sink or leave any print in the snow

[WinWin]

Has to do with the historical european priests and wise men the original Druid class was loosely based on.

2e had optional rules for alternate druids, depending on their origin terrain. Desert, Mountain, Swamp, Grey (underground), etc.

A few splatbooks provide alternative options for desert or frostfell druids, as well as aquatic/coastal druids.

[Tetsubo 57]

From the PRD:

Arctic Druid
An arctic druid watches over the stark landscape of the far frozen reaches of the world, tending the stunted and rugged life that ekes out its survival in the least habitable climes.

Arctic Native (Ex): At 2nd level, an arctic druid gains a bonus on Initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks equal to 1/2 her druid level in cold or icy terrain, and she cannot be tracked in cold or icy terrain. This ability replaces woodland stride.

Icewalking (Ex): At 3rd level, an arctic druid suffers no penalty to speed or on Acrobatics, Climb, or Stealth checks in snowy or icy terrain or weather conditions and can walk across snow crusts or thin ice without breaking through. This ability replaces trackless step.

Arctic Endurance (Ex): At 4th level, an arctic druid ignores the effects of a cold climate as if using endure elements. She is also immune to being dazzled. This ability replaces resist nature's lure.

Wild Shape (Su): An arctic druid gains this ability at 6th level, except that her effective druid level for this ability is equal to her druid level – 2.

Snowcaster (Su): At 9th level, an arctic druid can see normally in ice storm, sleet storm, or similar natural snowstorms. In addition, she can prepare any druid spell with the fire subtype as a cold spell, with an identical effect but inflicting cold damage instead of fire damage. This ability replaces venom immunity.

Flurry Form (Ex): At 13th level, an arctic druid can assume the form of a swirling column of snow equivalent to gaseous form at will. While in this form, she gains a circumstance bonus on Stealth checks made in cold terrain equal to her druid level. This ability replaces a thousand faces.

[Bhaakon]

The tundra and desert do a pretty good job of protecting themselves, no druids required.