Simply adding a few native spells that Lone can use without any equipment would already make this branch much more viable. (Maybe something related to sustenance, healing, or combat magic — potentially even as separate perks.)
There's also a real lack of some kind of utility tool to deal with serious enemies — something that would offer an alternative to endlessly kiting and chipping away at them with minimal damage.
And personally, I dream of magic that would be accessible to Lone even without investing into the magic perk. For example, traps are available to everyone and are insanely useful. There's a 'prostitution' skill that's also accessible and must-have in most playthroughs. But for magic, there's no such option.