Raistlin almost died at birth. While his twin, Caramon, was a robust, healthy baby, Raistlin was a sickly child and depended on his half-sister to get him through the first weeks of life. His ability for magic was discovered during the Red Moon Fair where he saw Waylan, an illusionist, performing slight of hand tricks along with some real but simple magic. Later that night, the small child was able to amaze his brother and sister by repeating the tricks perfectly. He was schooled by a local White Robe who was at the same time awed and scared by the young boy.  

Raistlin was invited to take the Test by Par-Salian when he was 21. Near the end of the Test, Raistlin saw his oxlike brother cast a lightning spell to defend his twin. Raistlin was enraged and jelous that Caramon was able to wield the magic that the frail twin held so dear and struck down his illusionary brother with a burning hands spell, ending the Test. Because of this, Par-Salian changed Raistlin's eyes to install a compassion by showing his mortality. His pupils became hourglasses, seeing time as it affected all things. People age and decay, flowers wither and die, trees rot and fall down. This was not the only change that occured however. Raistlin's skin turned gold and his hair became white. The young spell caster had made a deal with the long dead arch-mage Fistandantilus during his test. Raistlin sacraficed his body for power that he was not supposed to have. As a reward for completing the Test, Raistlin received the arcane Staff of Magius. 

As time passed, Raistlin's powers grew. His robes changed from red to black and he took up residence in the cursed Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas. He could never gain as much power as he wanted though so he devised a plan to destroy Takhisis and take her place. He travelled back in time to just before the cataclysm and killed Fistandantilus to take his power. He entered the portal to the Abyss hoping to lure the Dark Queen to the mortal plane where he could destroy her. Seeing his folly, he gave the Staff of Magius to his brother to close the portal while he kept Takhisis inside, sacraficing himself for the world.  

He remained in the Abyss until Caramon's son, Palin, entered and freed him. Back on the mortal plane, however, Raistlin could no longer use magic, his punishment for challanging Takhisis. At the end of the Chaos War he was forced to leave Krynn with the gods.