Welcome to the Commander Thoughts series! The goal is to not write a "How to build" or "commander guide" but to give you new or expanded ideas for the commander.
Lorehold School
Scrollrack is the beginning...
The Scrollrack is an artifact that will teach you a mechanic to accelerate your card draw and card selection for Lorehold, the Historian.
Library Manipulation | August 2026 | 8 Min Read
Manipulating Your Library
Welcome to Commander Thoughts where the goal is to improve your commander skills and deck building. Today, we have Lorehold, the Historian. The number 1 card recommended for deck building is Scroll Rack for Lorehold.
The main reason why this is the most popular card because you can rearrange cards in your hand and the top of your library. It's an artifact and the ability can be used at instant speed.
Combine that with the Miracle ability of Lorehold, the Historian - you control which card you want to cast with the 2 mana discount. Miracle is such a powerful mechanic it bypasses timing rules. Ultimately you can cast sorcery spells on other players turn if they meet the Miracle requirement.
What you're going to learn in this article today is the brainstorm effect. If you immediately thought of the popular blue card brainstorm - you are right. Now I want you to think of casting spells and manipulating your library with other spells in red and white. This way you are not only relying on Scroll Rack.
Almost same name
Cards have added abilities
With the combination of other spells you can create your on Brainstorm effect. Think Scry - Think Shuffling Your Library - Think putting cards on top of your library.
I'm highlighting Brainstone as a budget version of Scroll Rack. However, I could argue it is better in the right deck. Anyways, this artifact has the brainstorm effect. Then white offers a enormous amount of artifact recursion spells; so don't think this is a one time thing!
Top or Bottom
The choice is yours
Crystal Ball
It's mana intensive just to be able to cast. However, redundancy is important in deck building so you are able to do what you want to do!
01
Widespread Panic
You search your library all the time in boros colors. Think of artifact tutors, land cycling, and land destruction in red. They all ask you to shuffle your library afterwards. Now you can load the library top card with something specific.
02
Not Forgotten
Restock a desired card from your graveyard and place on top of your library. This is another example of other spells that can be intentional with miracle.
03
More Ways
Manipulate the library
Library of Leng
Another staple for Lorehold, the Historian. It can be used for two purposes. One way if an opponent forces you to discard. Secondly, you can exploit the power of loot effects (discard to draw).
Biblioplex Assistant
It will be unpopular but utility is key. You can put an instant or sorcery from the yard back on top of your library - setting up the miracle cost turn. It's an artifact creature too. So you know artifact recursion is easy in white.
Mistveil Plains
I know this says the bottom of your library. Your opponents will run graveyard hate. So you need ways to keep spells potentially castable. Putting them back into your library is a way to protect them. Plus we just finished talking about shuffling effects.
Summary
Lesson Learned
You can get creative on how to use Miracle with Lorehold, the Historian. Don't only rely on Scroll Rack which can be expensive piece of card board to purchase. As you research cards for Velomachus ( the original name of the elder dragon), think about how to put cards on top of your library. These other ways might be less of an obvious threat such as Scroll Rack. Opponents are going to target that clearly after the 2nd game; prepare yourself.
What you can learn from building Lorehold, the Historian is how to manipulate your library. You don't always have to rely on one card. Building your deck with these various effects can actually increase your card draw velocity.
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