Is a deeper pan worth it?

Yes get the deep pan. The A&A cast aluminum one comes with a re-usable pan gasket, pan rail bolts, billet aluminum filter extension, and Dacron filter. It’s $200 currently for their pan kit. Yes it’s worth it. The thick cast aluminum also helps stiffen the case. Only thing I do with the drain plug bolt is I use silicon on the threads to prevent leaks.