Is a water bath needed and if not why.

Some recipes call for baking in a water bath, some don't. A water bath is supposed to help prevent the top drying out and give you a creamier end result. Folks are kind of divided into groups who support using one, and those who don't. I'll be honest, for me, I'd rather skip the whole panful of hot scalding water myself. However, I do put a pan of water underneath or beside the cake as it bakes to add humidity to the oven. I think the biggest factor in a successful cheesecake is not to overbake it. If you remove the cheesecake when there is just a quarter size spot in the center still jiggles. Or if you don't mind a hole in your cheesecake, when it reaches 150F, according to the folks at America's Test Kitchen. If you are more comfortable using a hot water bath to bake your cheesecake, there is nothing to say you can't use one with this recipe. It's on an internet site- not carved in stone. Nobody is going to report you or come seize your finished cheesecake as evidence you did not follow the directions.