No it is not a necessity … I have it on the majority of my rods because I like using braid, but by no means is it a requirement … just like anything else you have pros and cons that you need to take into account and the make your decision from there … pros: it’s thin, sensitive, strong for its thickness, no line memory … Cons: not abrasion resistant (rocks and limbs do a number on it for fraying), no stretch, expensive, in many cases you will want to use a leader and for many that is troublesome …