Edison Format · March 2010
The ① effect is an ignition effect. It activates, and can be chained to.
Sending a card to the GY is part of the ① effect. It happens when this effect resolves. If you cannot send, you cannot Summon. If you cannot Summon, you do not send. (If the effect is negated, you do not send a card from your hand to the GY)
"You can substitute this card for any 1 "Synchron" Tuner for a Synchro Summon" is not an effect. It will not be negated by "Skill Drain".
"This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a monster that lists a "Synchron" monster as a Tuner" is not an effect. It will not be negated by "Skill Drain".