ISO Hemlock AR in CODM S8 — Free via Battle Pass, Worth Building on GameLoop PC
The ISO Hemlock is S8's new free AR, unlockable via Battle Pass — and it ties to the Honkai collab's Draw 1 Mythic skin. Here's how to approach it on GameLoop PC before the meta settles.
Season 8 adds two new weapons. Most attention will go to the Static-HV SMG, because the Challenge Pass makes it harder to miss. The ISO Hemlock AR is different: it is unlockable for free through the standard Battle Pass. That means every player who reaches the right tier has it. It is not a premium unlock or a trap behind a paywall.
That also means it is worth building from day one of the season, before the meta tells you to.
Why Start with the ISO Hemlock
New weapons in CODM tend to arrive in a balanced state. The development cycle includes test server feedback, and weapons that release wildly overpowered or unplayable tend to get patched within weeks. The ISO Hemlock is a new entry, not a returning weapon from a previous season.
What that means in practice: it is unlikely to be broken at launch. It is also unlikely to be garbage. The weapon will occupy a space in the AR tier — above or below the Krig 6 and FFAR 1 depending on your playstyle and build — and the question is whether that space is one that fits how you play.
There is a second reason to start with it: the Honkai Impact collaboration. The first operator draw, arriving around September 11, introduces Rin Yoshida — Herrscher of Thunder. The associated Mythic weapon skin is ISO Core of Thunder — built for the ISO Hemlock. If you plan to run the Honkai operator, having the ISO Hemlock already leveled before the Draw 1 date means you can immediately test the Mythic skin in a match rather than scrambling to unlock the base weapon after you already have the skin.
The AR Slot on GameLoop PC
ARs occupy a different role than SMGs in a PC loadout. On mobile, ARs are often chosen for range — the touchscreen is less accurate at distance, and an AR's lower fire rate makes it more forgiving to use when aim is inconsistent. On PC, that logic partially reverses. Mouse precision lets you use SMGs effectively at ranges that would punish them on mobile, which means ARs need to justify their slot through damage output per bullet, effective range, or specific mechanics rather than simply "SMGs miss too much at distance."
The current S8 AR meta has two strong options on PC:
Krig 6: got a buff this season (initial 31-damage phase at 10m added; second range extended). Predictable recoil, reliable damage at medium range. A defensive AR that rewards positioning over aggression.
FFAR 1: got a buff this season (initial damage range expanded 6.6m→10m; stomach multiplier increased). Faster fire rate than the Krig 6, better for aggressive pushes at close-to-medium range.
The ISO Hemlock will sit somewhere in this space. Its exact damage profile and recoil pattern will become clearer after the first week of ranked play. What you can assume: as a new AR in a season where the Krig and FFAR both got better, it needs to offer something different to justify the slot over either of those.
How to Think About Building It
Without post-launch data on damage tiers and attachment interactions, the right approach is to build around your playstyle rather than toward a specific number.
Aggressive, close-to-mid: Build for ADS speed and mobility. The ISO Hemlock will compete with the FFAR 1 in this space. If it has a faster base fire rate than the Krig 6, lean into that and build it like you would the FFAR — lower ADS time, moderate recoil control, no heavy barrel that adds bullet spread penalty.
Defensive, mid-to-range: Build for damage range and recoil control. This puts it in the same role as the Krig 6. If the ISO Hemlock has higher base damage per shot or better range characteristics, it can beat the Krig in this role. If not, the Krig remains the cleaner choice.
Decide after testing. Spend 30 minutes in a warm-up match or a casual mode, fire the base weapon at different ranges, note where the damage starts dropping off and how the recoil pattern behaves. That 30-minute test tells you more than any day-1 guide can.
Recoil Pattern on GameLoop PC
ARs on GameLoop PC behave differently than on mobile because you control recoil with mouse movement rather than thumb compensation. The ISO Hemlock is new, so its recoil pattern is untested in community play. What to look for when you first fire it:
Vertical climb. Almost all ARs climb vertically during sustained fire. On PC, you pull downward slowly to compensate. Test whether the climb is consistent or variable — consistent recoil is easier to manage than recoil that changes direction partway through a burst.
Horizontal drift. Some ARs have a slight left or right bias on top of the vertical climb. On PC, managing horizontal drift requires either a precise micro-adjustment in the opposite direction, or an attachment that reduces horizontal recoil. Test with the base weapon first. If the drift is minimal, skip the horizontal recoil attachment and use that slot elsewhere.
First-shot kick. Some ARs have a larger first-shot displacement than subsequent shots — a sharp initial kick that flattens out. On PC, this is manageable (you can compensate for a known first-shot pattern). The Krig 6 is generally consistent on first shot; the FFAR 1 has a slightly more aggressive initial kick. Check where the ISO Hemlock falls before deciding on recoil-smoothing attachments.
The Honkai Collaboration Angle
The ISO Core of Thunder Mythic skin (unlocked via Draw 1 of the Honkai operator draws, estimated September 11) is cosmetic — it does not change the weapon's base stats. But it is worth noting for two reasons.
First, Mythic weapon skins in CODM often have custom animations, sound effects, and kill effects that affect gameplay feel, not raw numbers. The ISO Hemlock with the Herrscher of Thunder skin will look and sound different than the base weapon. Some players find that cosmetic variation changes how they perceive the weapon's performance, even when the stats are identical.
Second, Draw 1 is estimated around September 11 — two days after season launch. If you are planning to participate in the operator draw event, having the ISO Hemlock already partially leveled means the attachment slots are accessible immediately. You cannot fully test a Mythic skin on a weapon you have not unlocked the base version of.
Neither of these is a reason to rush the weapon if it does not fit your playstyle. They are factors worth considering if you were already planning to invest in the Honkai collab.
When to Run ISO Hemlock vs. Krig 6 vs. FFAR 1
At S8 launch, the Krig 6 and FFAR 1 are the two proven AR choices on PC. Both received buffs and both are understood at this point. The ISO Hemlock is untested.
Run Krig 6 when: You want consistency over everything else. Predictable recoil, solid medium-range damage, a well-understood buff (new 31-damage phase at 10m, extended second range). No guesswork.
Run FFAR 1 when: You want an AR that pushes into the SMG range window. The FFAR's expanded initial damage range (6.6m→10m) means it overlaps with close-range SMG territory more than it did in S7. On PC, where you can aim precisely at that range, the FFAR is an aggressive AR that does not need medium-range fights to be effective.
Run ISO Hemlock when: It offers something the other two do not — and that determination will take a week of community testing to be confident about. Start with it if the free Battle Pass unlock means you want to invest early, or if the Honkai collab skin is a factor. Revisit the Krig and FFAR if the Hemlock does not feel competitive.
A Note on Day-One AR Guides
The ISO Hemlock launched on 9 September 2026, the day this guide was written. At that point no community data existed on its damage tiers, optimal attachment combinations, or where it settles in the tier list. So this guide focuses on how to approach the weapon and what to think about, not specific builds — because day-one builds for new weapons are based on speculation rather than tested data.
The ranked meta guide (September 15) will have more settled data on both new weapons. If you want a confident build recommendation, that is the right time to look. For now: unlock it, test it, and use the framework above to form your own read before the meta tells you what to think.