Mingle with the Wind Question

You know the Shocking Grasp cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Feather Fall spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Levitate spell with this trait, without requiring a material component.

Once you cast Feather Fall or Levitate with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Does this mean I can cast Feather Fall and Levitate (assuming I reached the prerequisite level) for free (without spell slot) once per long rest? Or does it only mean I can cast it without the M component, as in, I still need V, S, AND the spell slot once per long rest?

I'm just confused on the wording, because in PHB'24 the Elf and Tiefling's statblock say, "You can cast X once without a spell slot." Which is clear as day. Then looking at PHB'14, the Elf (Drow) says, "you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait." I also believe that this means it's free to cast (without a spell slot) once. I understand that this one is similar to the Air Genasi's Mingle with the Wind, but the Air Genasi's have an additional line of, "without requiring a material component," which confuses me because Darkness, Feather Fall and Levitate have no material components that have a cost, so why only say it specifically on the Air Genasi's feature? It led me and my DM to believe that the Air Genasi's benefit is only not casting it with the M component.

So, right now my DM and I have just agreed to the ruling that the only benefits this feature is giving me is the ability to cast Shocking Grasp, the ability to cast Feather Fall and Levitate without the M component once per long rest (which is nullified anyway with a spellcasting focus or a component pouch lol) and that it expanded my known spells without counting to the limit (since I can cast Feather Fall and Levitate using my spell slots of the appropriate level). 

Does this mean I can cast Feather Fall and Levitate (assuming I reached the prerequisite level) for free (without spell slot) once per long rest? Or does it only mean I can cast it without the M component, as in, I still need V, S, AND the spell slot once per long rest?

You can cast them once each without a spell slot, using that trait instead.

I'm just confused on the wording, because in PHB'24 the Elf and Tiefling's statblock say, "You can cast X once without a spell slot." Which is clear as day. Then looking at PHB'14, the Elf (Drow) says, "you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait."

Yep, you're encountering one of the reasons the 5.5e rules exist—to improve clarity of the rules. Generally speaking casting something "with this trait" means without a spell slot

Regarding the requirement of the Material component, this feature, for example, has clear wording:

Level 18: Dragon Companion

You can cast Summon Dragon without a Material component. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a Long Rest.

Note you have the spell prepared at level 9 thanks to the Level 3: Draconic Spells feature.

Yeah, it makes sense now. Especially since, if I recall correctly, all races/species that give you access to spells allow you to cast it once per long rest. It would make sense for it to be the same for the Air Genasi. 

Thank you for the reply and claritication!

Quote from Edwardxsenn >> 

Does this mean I can cast Feather Fall and Levitate (assuming I reached the prerequisite level) for free (without spell slot) once per long rest? 

 Yes you can cast each of them once per Long Rest.  Once you cast Feather Fall or Levitate with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. 

That spell is the one that can't be cast again basically. 

Quote from Edwardxsenn >>

but the Air Genasi's have an additional line of, "without requiring a material component," which confuses me because Darkness, Feather Fall and Levitate have no material components that have a cost, so why only say it specifically on the Air Genasi's feature? It led me and my DM to believe that the Air Genasi's benefit is only not casting it with the M component.

This means that when you cast Feather Fall, you just have a Verbal component. Levitate has a Verbal and Somatic, which unfortunately means that you cannot use spell casting focus for the somatic gesture.

I read the ability as also allowing to also cast the spell without a material component when casting the spells with a spell slot.