Aurasteal still works when you get no item?

[darklordsidius]

I been stealing with 0 success 99% of the time but occasionally getting the success effect with 0 items. the success effect goes off, I get no item but it's absorbing buffs like shell. Is this normal?

Darklordsidius uses Steal.
Darklordsidius steals the effect of Shell from the Sapphire Quadav.

[noodles355]

Item steal is checked first. If it is successful, you steal an item. If it is unsuccessful or there is nothing you can steal from the mob, then afterwards aura steal checks for dispel/absorb buffs.

[Arcon]

I think you just understood Aura Steal wrong. Aura Steal only works when you get no item. By "success effect" I think you mean the Steal-animation? That's both the animation for Steal and Aura Steal, which are mutually exclusive.

[Babekeke]

Yes, you're confusing how aura steal works with how despoil works. Despoil requires an item to be stolen. Aura Steal requires no item to be stolen.