What reputation does a Forged Lord need?

The “Forged” trait gives one access to a 1D planet-wide reputation as a Forged Lord. This confuses me slightly.

From the reputation examples in the book, I had the impression that a Forged Lord is supposed to take a 3D reputation, because he’s really, really important. Does this mean one is supposed to buy 2 more reputation dice?

What if said Lord does not (Forged Lords tend to run short on Circle points because they have to buy Hammer and Anvil assets)? Would it mean his authority on the planet is kind of weak (even if he has 3D Hammer and 3D Anvil assets, maybe the people do not respect him as much etc.)?

Something else?

Nobody is required to take a reputation except those that are granted by traits. You can play a relatively obscure Forged Lord if you like.

Hmm, the reputation is supposed to be planet-wide. How can the Forged Lord of the planet be obscure on his own planet?
Also, a bunch of examples seem to imply that the level of the reputation is tied to one’s level of authority. Am I missing something?

Typically forged lords have a 3d rep.

I’d imagine so. I don’t think that a 1D rep means that people don’t know who he is; just that they don’t know (or don’t care) much about him. Yes, you can name the ruler. No, you don’t really know much about him; he doesn’t affect your day-to-day life.

Yeah, this would be my take and how I explained it to my current group as we are playing BE now, and one player is a Forged Lord Imperial Steward. I told him that the lower that number, the more people didn’t really pay attention to him, even in his own government. It would be like a Prime Minister of, say, Japan, where, traditionally, the civil servants run the show, but the elected leader gets to take all the blame when something goes wrong.

(And before you say it, yes, I do know what I’m talking about. I’m a university lecturer teaching government and politics, and I lived in Japan for 8 years. I REMEMBER the 4 PMs I saw from 1997-2005. And how old retiring civil servants landed cushy jobs in various companies their former ministries regulated).