This fork integrates sponsorblock, been using it for a while and even though the maintainer calls the integration "rather basic" it works quite well. https://github.com/polymorphicshade/NewPipe

I'm really glad YT Vanced did integrate it.

Yeah, just read through the GitHub issues thread and it's rather flimsy justification for not implementing it that seems to boil down to "because I don't want to". A real shame, since I'd always admired the project.