Zodiac spear necessary?

My question is whether the zodiac spear is necessary for defeating all marks and everything else etc. I have just started a new game and I have once again opened the chest by Old Dalans place. I remember thinking "There was something about this chest in my last playthrough, better open it now just in case"
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I am now about 8 hours in and cant be bothered to start again. I know its the strongest weapon in the game, but is it a must if you want to complete everything else the game has to offer?
I am NOT doing the 1/1000 chance thing in the henne mines, lol.
Any help would be great!

I don't think it's really necessary, as there are lots of other great weapons in the game, just as long as your character's equipment complements the weapon.

By that, I mean the Masamune along with the Genji Glove combination or any other combination that you find helpful.

By the end of the game, there are many alternatives that make the Zodiac Spear relatively obsolete. It's only necessary if you want the "perfect" game.

Ok thanks a lot people!

On my first playthrough, I missed the Zodiac Spear entirely - since I obviously wasn't going to spoil the game, and all its surprises, by resorting to a walkthrough. I managed to beat every Mark without the spear.

I'm getting the spear on my second play, though - just because I want to make the rest of the game a walk-over with no real challenge:D

The spear is totally unneccesary didnt get it on my 1st play through. I got the spear on my 2nd play through & dont know how I beat some of the later Marks without it.

As powerful as that weapon is, it's not really necessary to obtain it. I've done 2 playthroughs and I've beaten the game without it

:) I just got the spear in my second play-through of the game - before heading into the Henne Mines after Mjrn. With a party ranging from level 20 to level 23, the hardest part was defeating the King Bomb and then racing into Nabudis and getting out again in roughly one piece. But now, after getting the 235 license points needed to use the thing, I've got Basch as a virtually unstoppable tank, felling most regular monsters in a single hit.
Quite fun, really.