No, they aren't required. Honestly, I consider those skills something we will use in combat, but less of the: "Cast explicit named skill of awesomeness!" and more of the: "He does the thing, with the weapon, and it turns the color, in a descriptive move of cooli-flare!"
As for what you said Shadow, with everything, I would love that idea. I hadn't intended it, because I figured everyone else would like to hook-up characters, but yeah. We can have them know each other outside of the game, Beta-together, and then be apart of the founding.