I'm quoting cause the man brings up a valid point.

Quote Originally Posted by Shin Gouken View Post

In fairness, there are a number of set chests which do offer a nice piece of equipment or a nice weapon. As for the Zodiac spear, people act as if this is the first stunt FF have pulled like this. I remember a sword called excalibur mkII in FFIX that was equally impossible to acquire without a guide
Missing Score and Great Gospel in FFVII, un-clouding the Clouded Mirror in FFX, The Brave Blade in FFV with full stats, Adamant Armor and the Spoon Dagger in FFIV,acquiring Gungnir in FFIII, Getting Gogo in VI, Getting Quistis' ultimate Blue Magic spell in VIII, Acquiring Ultima and Zodiark in FFT, and the weakness of all the bosses in the final dungeon to the Blood Sword in FFII.

Seriously, almost every game in the series has some event or item that is easily missed or completely unknowable without a guide or having a friend with a guide. Also, this whole "SE want your money so they make this stuff so you have to buy the guide" though its true, is also kind of a silly argument considering how prevalent Fan sites and stuff like GameFaqs is in this modern age. Really, of anything, its a ruse to make you actually play the game a second time if you are hoping for a perfect file. Its a cheap way to make you want a second run-through with the exception of New Game +.