Can you make cheesecake without a waterbath or springform pan?!

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Yes. I have been baking my cheesecakes recently in a regular pan because my springform pan was all scratched up from hubby using sharp knives or forks to get pieces out :( I have baked without a water bath and it results in a drier, slightly mealy cheesecake. I have used several recipes and without the water bath they all turn out the same. the bath's purpose isn't just so the cake won't crack. it creates a humid baking environment, resulting in a silky-smooth, creamy cheesecake. if you can't use a water bath, it's fine. but I normally fill a roaster or 9x13 glass pan with water and place I on the rack underneath the rack where the cheesecake will go, then preheat my oven and bake. also, the parchment paper liner trick doesn't work most of the time... but hubby and I don't care how the first 2 or 3 pieces look as long as they taste good! happy baking!

bake cheesecakes often for every occasion possible

Yes, to both. I normally use a spring form pan, so I don't use a water bath because the pan would probably leak. There is a slightly greater chance that the cheesecake may crack but I'm cooking it to eat, not to spend a lot of time looking at it and they usually come out great.

The advantage of the spring form pan is it is easier to get the cheesecake out of. I did use a regular pan and a water bath one time and you usually screw up the first few pieces getting it out of the pan. I've seen Alton Brown on Good Eats put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a regular pan to help get the cheesecake out. That seems like a good idea.

line the pan with foil (like use squares of foil and push them into the shape) then push the biscuit base on with your hands. then when its done you can lift it up by the foil ... I never use a water bath. but sometimes the top splits, but i dont care... i cover it up with fruit or bay leaves.

I have cooked cheesecake in a half sheet pan. I did not have parchment so I just put the graham cracker and sugar on there baked it then added the cheesecake and for about 1.5 hours at 200F. Refrigerated overnight. It came out perfectly.

it would but the only reason that almost all recipes suggest springform pans and waterbaths is because without caring for what you cook, it's basically food murder. the top of the cake would crack or sink or burn and nobody wants that.

Yep ...no bake cheese cake baby